Daddy's Boy
by Harry50
Summary: What could have happened if James survived that fateful Halloween? Eventually Harry/Hermione.
1. Halloween 1981

**Disclaimer:** I don't own any rights to Harry Potter stories or characters. They are all property of J.K. Rowling and her associates. I only play with them for my pleasure, and hopefully yours.

 **1\. Halloween 1981**

" _Lily, take Harry and go! It's him! Go! Run! I'll hold him off!"_

James didn't really have a plan. He had several ideas, none of which was fully formed. Dumbledore had promised that they were absolutely safe under the Fidelius charm and didn't need anything else. Lily wasn't as confident, though. She added a few wards of her own and persuaded James to add some as well. None was really powerful enough to stop Voldemort, but even if they delayed him just a bit it could make a difference.

Now he hoped they would delay his foe for long enough. While Lily ran upstairs, to grab Harry and disapparate, James disillusioned himself, cursing for having left his invisibility cloak with Dumbledore, and then started creating several doppelgänger dummies to confuse the attacker.

He only managed to create one when the door burst open. In his anxiety, his hand trembled and the wand fell, rolling behind the sofa. James hurriedly bent to grab it and was almost blinded by the green curse killing the dummy. By the time he found his wand, he only saw the tail of Voldemort's robes going into the nursery.

James started running upstairs, his wand clutched tightly. He then saw a green flash emanating from the open doorway, followed by another before he even reached the last stair.

James felt as if his heart stopped beating. He knew he had lost everything that was worth living for. He wanted revenge, at least, but knew he was no match for the Dark Lord who would step out of that doorway any moment. It was a no brainer, really. With nothing to fight for, the only option was to flee, gain some power and then start his revenge.

He heard some apparition "pop"s from the front yard. 'Probably death eaters, ready to loot, like the hyenas they are,' he thought bitterly as he made his decision. With another soft "pop" he disappeared.

Albus Dumbledore and some members of the Order came in a moment later with their wands ready. They spotted the remains of James Potter immediately. It wasn't much, really. Only some burned clothes, a mutilated body and a smashed head, unrecognisable, except for the black hair and the square eyeglasses.

Dumbledore hurried upstairs, followed by Alstor Moody and Minerva McGonagall. Lily's body was sprawled on the floor, her unseeing green eyes still looking defiant and fierce. Another body seemed to lie on the floor on the other side of the crib, but on closer inspection it turned out to be only black robes and clothes, including underwear. It looked like whoever had worn these clothes had vanished, leaving everything behind.

A small whimper sounded. Minerva was the first to approach the crib, where the sound was coming from. A year old boy was looking at her, seeming shocked. His green eyes were studying her severe face, as if looking for something. His lips started forming a smile, yet he suddenly started crying loudly. Minerva could now see that he was wounded. His forehead seemed to have an injury.

She didn't need to think about it at all. She grabbed the boy instinctively and hugged him to her chest while trying to check his wound. It wasn't really deep and didn't seem to be important. 'He may have been hit by some debris from that hole in the wall,' she thought.

Dumbledore was still checking the black robe. He could sense the evil which had filled it until a few minutes earlier but could find no explanation to it being empty. He turned around, noticing the baby for the first time. 'He marked him as his equal, just like the prophecy said,' he thought, his mind starting to calculate all the possibilities and trying to find the best option.

Minerva had taken the baby to the bathroom and cleaned him of the blood, yet she couldn't heal the wound with any healing charm she tried. It wasn't bleeding any more and the baby seemed calm now, only looking at everything with interest, and the wound turned into a lightning shaped scar, but it stayed raw red and wouldn't heal.

"It's a curse scar, Minerva. Leave it be, as anything we do may harm Harry more than the scar itself," Albus told her and she stopped her actions reluctantly.

\/\/\/\/\/

James apparated across the channel – into an open field in the north of France, between an old castle and a small village. The cold wind was penetrating his soul, so it seemed, but James didn't mind it. He walked to the castle's gate, which opened as he approached and closed behind him once he passed it.

"Sulis!" he called, as he reached the entry hall.

A small house elf appeared and bowed slightly. It looked well fed and its clothes, although reminding of pillow cases, were clean and tidy, sporting a coat of arms near its left shoulder

"I need a sweater and a heavy coat and some local muggle money," James said, sounding very impatient.

The elf popped out and returned within seconds with the requested items. James put the money in his pocket, put the clothes on and stormed out towards one of the village's pubs.

James returned to the castle, highly intoxicated and quite unstable on his feet, when the first rays of the sun could already be seen at the horizon. He crawled into the first bedroom he could find and fell asleep in his clothes.

It was evening when James woke up with a headache. Sulis gave him a vial of hangover potion and led him to the bathroom, where the bath was already filled with hot water.

An hour later, wearing clean clothes, James left the castle for another pub.

It was Saturday night, two weeks after James had arrived at the castle. He had taken his hangover potion and was heading for the bathroom when Sulis stood defiantly in front of the bathroom door.

"Master James should not go to pub," the small elf told the tall man as if he was a father admonishing a child. It was the first time Sulis had spoken since that fateful night.

"What else would you have me do? I've nothing to live for now. Let me drink and forget," James answered bitterly.

"You have a child to care for," insisted Sulis.

" **My wife and my child are dead!** Can't you understand?" James practically shouted at the small creature.

Sulis seemed unfazed. "Young master Harry is alive and needs his father. You should stop grieving and start acting like a responsible parent."

"Harry is alive?" James asked with doubt and hope mixed in his voice.

"Yes, master James. Young master Harry is alive. I can feel my bond to him. But he's not well. You should take him and care for him, as you've done since he was born."

"Let's go now!" James exclaimed.

"Master must first bath and eat properly. Then you should find out what happened since the night you came here and only then make a plan. Haven't you learned anything from Mistress Lily?" The elf seemed to get teary as he said the last words.

"Sorry, Sulis. You are absolutely right. I should have acted wiser. Please forgive me for being a stupid master."

A small smile appeared on the elf's face. "You're not stupid, master, but you sometimes tend to act before you think. I believe you'll have to change that soon."

James felt a bit like a small child being reprimanded. He bathed and dressed properly and then went to the family dining room, where a nice dinner was waiting for him. Once at the table, he was suddenly aware of the grumbling in his stomach as the smells whet his appetite. He found the meal quite welcome and enjoyed Sulis's cooking.

"You should now go to your study. I've left there all the newspapers since you arrived," the elf said as he removed the dirty dishes from the table.

"Thank you, Sulis. I appreciate your work and your advice. Will you join me at the study?"

"Master must first read the papers. I'll bring you some tea a bit later."

The newspapers gave him a lot to think of. He read about Harry's mysterious survival and Voldemort's disappearance. He had tears in his eyes when reading about his and Lily's funeral and the nice eulogies said. There were two things that really disturbed him, though.

He found out that Sirius Black was arrested for betraying the Potters and for killing Peter Pettigrew and several muggles. He knew that Sirius was **NOT** the secret keeper and would have never killed the muggles. Dumbledore should have known that, and yet he didn't act at all. That was worrisome.

Just as important – there was no mention of what had happened to Harry. He had been mentioned as the only survivor of the attack, "The Boy Who Lived", and there was even a single photo of the smiling baby waving at the camera with an ugly scar on his forehead, but then – nothing. Dumbledore had probably hidden the child well. It would make James's task much harder.

He wasn't sure about what to do next. Lily would have known, he thought bitterly. She had been the smartest witch in school, maybe in the whole generation. He felt tears begging to leave his eyes and he fought to contain them. It wouldn't do a Marauder to cry.

A Marauder... That made him think. Peter betrayed them; Sirius was imprisoned; Remus? He wasn't sure he could find him. Remus had spent a lot of time trying to prevent other werewolves from joining Voldemort, yet now this seemed redundant.

Sulis brought him a cup of tea. "Would master need anything else?"

"Yes, Sulis. Do you know how to contact Moony? I mean Mr. Lupin."

The elf smiled. "I know who Moony is. I suggest using an owl, but you should assure him that it's really you, as he probably thinks you're dead."

"Thank you, Sulis. I'll write to him and let you send it as soon as I'm finished."

\/\/\/\/\/

Remus was staying at home, in his small shack, trying to overcome his grief over the loss of all his friends. Lily and James had been murdered, probably by Voldemort, and Peter had been killed by Sirius, who seemed to had betrayed them all, joining Voldemort. Something didn't seem right in this story, of that he was sure, yet he couldn't see what.

An unrecognised owl flew through the small window near the roof. It looked well groomed and a bit haughty while hooting to attract attention to the letter attached to its leg.

Remus took it and was shocked to recognize the handwriting. He flopped back on his chair and started reading while his hands trembled.

" _Dear Moony,_

 _Contrary to what has been published, I'm not dead. Unfortunately, this is not the case with my wife. I've been drinking myself to oblivion for the last two weeks, believing my baby had been killed, but now I found that he's alive and needs me._

 _You may use the **map** to find me. I now need some **words** with you and I hope you will help._

 _Your Marauder friend,_

 _Prongs."_

As much as he liked to believe it, this was too good to be true. He had been present at the funeral. He had even seen the corpses, or the remains, before the funeral. And yet...

He took another glance at the letter, noticing the two accentuated words. His sombre face slowly turned into a hesitant smile. He took his wand, touched it to the letter and said, "I solemnly swear that I'm up to no good."

The letter faded and new lines appeared, forming a different letter for Remus to read.

" _Moony,_

 _I have reason to believe that our esteemed leader has some personal agenda of which he tells us nothing. He is the one who insisted we stay at Godric Hollow when we could just move to one of our foreign holdings, all of which are better protected and more comfortable than that small house. Now he seems to meddle with Harry's life, hiding him from the public eye._

 _As I survived (and I'll tell you everything when we meet), I want to find Harry and raise him myself. As usual, I need your help in planning the greatest prank of them all._

 _Also, Sirius is innocent of betraying us. Peter was the secret keeper and Dumbledore knows it, as he is the one who cast the spell. More reason to not trust him._

 _Please come to the Castle in France, where we spent the week before my wedding._

 _I'm waiting for you,_

 _James."_

Remus understood that the underlined words were the activation code for the letter to become a portkey, but he wasn't ready to leave yet. He was going to do a bit of research before joining his friend. He smiled as he tapped the letter and said, "Mischief managed," making it revert to its original form.

The haughty owl was still waiting. Remus scribbled a quick note and gave it to the owl who took off immediately, not sparing Remus another glance.

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	2. Child

**2\. Child**

Performing a prank can be a very tedious job, requiring research, planning and perfect execution, for which the Marauders had been famous. Remus spent a few days on research, mainly looking for Harry. He checked each and every orphanage he could find in the British isles. He used all his contacts to find if any magical family had recently got an additional child. He even tried talking with Dumbledore, although he didn't think he'd get a straight answer.

"I've been his uncle in all but blood. The child knows me and likes to play with me. I really feel I should visit him, now that he's been deprived of his parents. It is my duty in more than one way."

The old man insisted. "He is much safer if nobody knows his whereabouts and nobody visits him. I made sure he is well kept and protected by the strongest wards Magic can give. He's too important to compromise his security, and you're a known friend of his parents. Being seen near his new home is a risk we can't take."

"Who do you want him protected from?"

Dumbledore sighed, as if he had already explained it many times over. "We've not captured all of Voldemort supporters, you know, and too many of those captured used the 'imperius' excuse to get free. They may want to finish the job begun by their master and kill the boy. We can't allow it."

Remus was still unconvinced. "I wish Harry long and Happy life, but why do you keep insisting he's so important? He's just a toddler, barely more than a baby."

Remus didn't expect a straight answer anyway, yet this conversation gave him enough of a clue to search some more. Unlike most purebloods, the muggle world was not strange to him. Lily had a lot to do with this, as well as his affliction, which forced him to find jobs wherever he could. He knew roughly where Lily's sister lived and a quick search in the phone book gave him the exact address. Using a disillusion charm, he visited the place and could distinctly hear the two toddlers in the house. That was all he needed to know.

He could now join his friend to continue planning.

\/\/\/\/\/

The long, elegant limousine advanced slowly into Privet Drive, attracting a lot of attention. It stopped in front of number 4. The chauffeur, who was wearing a finely decorated uniform, went out and opened the passenger door for the aristocratic looking young man who stepped out, looked around for a few seconds and proceeded to the door of the house, where he knocked politely.

Vernon Dursley opened the door and was a bit overwhelmed when he saw the car and the man in front of him. They both looked more classy than he had ever seen. Trying to be on his best behaviour he asked, "May I help you, sir?"

"Mr. Dursley, I'd like to talk with you, if you don't mind."

Vernon nodded dumbly and continued staring at the stranger, who was wearing a tailored overcoat with fur trimmings, appropriate for the weather, and a quality hat which covered his black hair. The man's eyes seemed familiar, yet he didn't remember anybody with a trimmed black beard.

"Inside," the man reminded Vernon.

"Of course, sir. Do come in," Vernon said in his politest tone, moving aside and letting the man in.

Petunia, who was waiting inside, proved to be more observant than her husband. "James? It can't be! They said you were dead!"

James smiled reluctantly as he removed his hat, revealing his untameable black hair. He bowed exaggeratedly before saying, "Well, Tuney, the rumours of my death were premature, as you can see."

Petunia was not impressed by his smile. "Where's Lily?" she asked pointedly.

James turned serious at once. "Alas, she's been murdered. I couldn't save her. I'm sorry."

"Then why are you here?" she shot at him, "And why now?"

"I believe you may know where Harry is," James said.

"Why should we know where your freak of a son is?" Vernon spat. Now that he also recognized the man, he lost his respect and his inhibitions.

Vernon didn't notice any movement, but James was suddenly holding a wand, pointing it at his face. Vernon froze as James moved the wand in controlled movements, saying some words he didn't understand.

"Somebody put a compulsion curse on you, Vernon, and maybe on Tuney as well. Please sit down on the couch and let me rid you of it."

The Dursleys did as requested, although Vernon was grumbling.

James muttered a spell to make them fall asleep. He then used his auror training to check both muggles for any spells. He found some compulsion charms as well as tracking charms. He removed the compulsion and moved the tracking charms from the persons to the couch. Whoever had cast them would not know they were neutralized. He then went into the backyard and waved his wand, chanting some other spells. His frown deepened at what he found there. A few minutes later he returned inside and awakened Vernon and Petunia.

"Please, James, tell me what happened at Halloween," Petunia pleaded, her eyes tearing up, as Vernon was trying his best to comfort her.

James told her all he knew.

"Then who did they bury in your place?" Petunia asked, once he finished his tale.

"My doppelgänger was also built like me, having bones, muscles and blood created by magic. The killing curse had probably blasted it to pieces, and yet it looked similar enough to me for others to make that mistake. Now, after checking you over, it seems to be even more justified than before."

"What do you mean?"

"I've found that you both were under a compulsion curse, which I removed, and there was also some kind of compulsion cast on the house, which I also removed. Now, what do you know about Harry?"

Petunia's face contorted in horror. "Oh, dear! I've been treating him miserably. He's here, sleeping under the stairs, the little darling."

She hurriedly walked to the cupboard under the stairs and took out the sleeping baby, cradling him tenderly. "I don't know why I treated him this way. I'll never be able to forgive myself for this!" There were new tears in her eyes.

"It was those compulsion charms that made you act this way. I know you would have never treated Lily's son worse than your own," James tried to comfort her, while Vernon looked as if he wasn't believing his own eyes.

A sharp cry from the upper floor made Vernon stir. "I'll bring Dudley down," Vernon volunteered, seeming quite eager to do something, or to just get away from the uncomfortable conversation.

By the time Vernon returned with Dudley, Harry was already awake as well, sitting on his father's lap. Petunia was telling James about finding Harry at her door and about the accompanying letter.

"A few days later, Severus Snape brought us a package with stuff collected from Godric Hollow, things that were obviously magical," she added.

"You know Snape?" James wondered.

"Unfortunately yes. He used to live nearby, at Spinners End, which was the low-class area near our neighbourhood. He became friends with Lily when she was about eight or nine and he was the first to tell her she was a witch."

"But why would he bring anything here? I'm sure he was a Death Eater... a follower of the Dark Lord."

"I don't know. I've never liked him. He only gave me the box and told me that Dumbledore asked him to deliver it. He looked like he disliked the mere idea of talking with me."

As much as he would have liked to discuss is some more, he knew that Petunia was unable to give him any more information.

James didn't stay long after that. He helped Vernon move whatever was in the spare room to other rooms and helped Petunia set the spare room for Harry.

"I'll come tomorrow evening to discuss how to proceed, if you don't mind," he said, once the room was ready.

"You know you're always welcome," Petunia reassured him. Vernon also nodded. Although he feared Magic, he couldn't help liking James.

Moony was waiting for him at the muggle hotel, where James was checked in as Mr. Jacques DePoitiers. It wasn't even a lie. The Potter ancestors had come from France, where another branch of the family still existed. The English didn't like the French name, making it into "Potter". They then married into the Peverell and Gryffindor lines, finally becoming the only known descendants of those lines.

"How did it go?"

"Better than expected. They were both under compulsion charms and there was also some kind of compulsion ward on the house. Once I removed these, they returned to be the civilized people I've known before. I also tackled the tracing charms cast on them. I've left the protection wards, though."

"Why did you leave Harry there?"

"Without the compulsion charms, they're going to treat Harry nicely, feeling guilty for how they were acting for the last few weeks. I believe the old man has a spy nearby – a house there was bought two days after Halloween. I think we may need to put some other child there."

Moony smiled with evident mischief. "That's a prank worthy of the Marauders."

He turned serious again. "What shall we do about Padfoot?"

"I've contacted his cousin, Andromeda Tonks. She's a lawyer and she's going to force the ministry to put him on trial, where he will surely be found innocent. I'm paying all the expenses, and I'm quite sure Sirius will insist on returning every knut back, once he regains his freedom."

"That's a sure bet," Moony agreed.

\/\/\/\/\/

It took a few more weeks to finish everything. Sirius Black was interrogated under Veritaserum and proved innocent of all charges. He was released immediately and compensated nicely for the few weeks he had spent in prison. Andromeda also made sure that his innocence was made very public, to remove any doubts some might have had.

Despite his short stay in Azkaban he would need quite some time to recuperate and James... sorry, Monsieur Jacques DePoitiers, invited him to do it at his villa on the French Riviera, although it was out of season.

Once the trial was over, James also needed to finish the arrangements with the Dursleys.

"You know, I hoped to have at least two children, but after Dudley's birth, the doctors told me I shouldn't risk another pregnancy. I barely managed to stay alive, you know. When I got Harry it made me think again, especially after you removed those nasty spells..." Petunia told him.

"I know you love Harry, being all that remained of your sister, but he needs to grow among people who do magic, not ones who fear it."

"I know, James. It's just..." There were unshed tears in her eyes.

"Why won't you adopt, then?" James suggested.

"We tried, about three weeks before Halloween. It's a lengthy procedure and there's a long queue. There's not much chance we can get approval, especially as we already have a child of our own. It seems that childless couples have better chances."

James smiled. "I believe I can help you and that would also fool the old man and his spies."

The Dursley were just too glad to accept his help.

Although not quite legitimate, some well placed money proved very efficient in speeding up procedures and overcoming bureaucratic obstacles. Some discreetly placed spells proved to be even more so.

A few days later, Harry Potter left Privet Drive with his father, while the Dursleys welcomed another one-year old boy, one with dark hair, blue-green eyes and an accident scar on his forehead. They decided to call him Henry.

Mr. DePoitiers left Britain the same way he came in, using a muggle flight. He was accompanied by his son and his two trusted friends. Nobody in magical Britain was even aware of their departure.

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	3. Nanny

**3\. Nanny**

The French Riviera wasn't interesting in the winter, or that was the opinion Sirius expressed. He didn't need much effort to persuade his two friends to go to Chamonix, one of the French centres for winter sports, where they were sure to find many young women.

This was how they ended sitting at a table in one of the local restaurants. The three young men were dressed similar to the other patrons, yet the toddler who was sitting on a high chair with them seemed completely out of place. He was dressed with several layers of clothing which restricted his movement without providing much warmth, unless one knew of the warming charm cast on them.

The waitress approached them. She was a young woman, just a bit older than the three Marauders. "What would you like to eat?"

The three gave their orders, with Sirius paying more attention to her curves than to the menu. "What about the baby?"

James looked upset for forgetting. The others snickered.

"I'll bring something for him," she offered. "I have a girl about the same age." She now looked at Sirius and spoke very quietly. "Her father is an auror."

Sirius flinched and looked at the table, which suddenly turned very interesting, while the others snickered. The waitress bent towards James now, speaking just as quietly. "It would be wiser to dress your child with appropriate clothes. Warming charms are not good enough in this weather. I believe his mother isn't here, or she would have known."

"She's dead," James said, all mirth gone from his voice.

"I'm really sorry. Would you like me to lend you some clothes for the child?"

James thought for just a second. "I'd rather you direct me to an appropriate store."

She smiled at him. "I'll bring you an address and a map along with your order."

They visited the same restaurant the next day, with Harry dressed properly. They had another waitress, yet the one from the previous day passed near them, glanced at the baby and nodded approvingly.

James was not interested in anything there, except for staying with Harry. Sirius and Remus found out that very few of the young ladies around were unattached, and skiing was more demanding than they cared for. After a few more days there, they decided to return to the castle.

James was quite happy to let Sulis handle the physical needs of his child, yet he couldn't forget the shame he had felt when that waitress told him off. He knew he would need to find somebody to take care of the child and probably of the housekeeping as well. Sulis, while excelling at his job, couldn't replace a wife's caring for her home and family, or even a competent house-keeper, who would have a human point of view.

A few weeks after returning to the castle, Harry didn't feel well. He cried a lot, refused to eat and had a fever. James didn't want to take him to any English healer, not wanting to expose him to the British magical world, yet he clearly needed help. Remus asked at the nearest bistro about a doctor for children. There wasn't one in the village, but there was a young paediatrician at a near village, and an older, better recommended one at the nearest town. He returned to the castle with both addresses.

James didn't hesitate. He wanted only the best for his son. He apparated into an alley near the doctor's address. Not having set an appointment in advance, he had to wait, but the stern woman at the reception desk mellowed immediately when she touched Harry's burning face.

Doctor DuPont, a kind looking man about fifty, checked Harry thoroughly, paying special attention to the scar on his forehead. He then turned to James. "May I know your name, please?"

"Jacques DePoitiers," James answered. His British accent was quite evident.

The doctor looked at him as if looking at a child who was caught lying. "Now, now... You surely know that my oath prevents me from disclosing information about my patients without their permission. So, what is your real name, please?"

"James Potter."

"And your son's?"

"Harry."

The doctor frowned. "You were supposed to be dead, you know."

"I'll be, eventually, but right now I have a son who needs to get well. Help him, please!"

The doctor looked at father and son with a kind smile. "Luckily, I'm also a healer," he said, taking a wand out of his drawer. He waved the wand over Harry, chanting some obscure spells, causing different misty shapes to appear over the child.

"The fever is easily cured," he finally said, "but you'll need a curse-breaker for the scar." He looked at James, who seemed worried. "That scar was caused by some very evil curse. It's a miracle this boy is still alive, but if it's not treated soon, it may eventually kill him."

He thought some more. "There are a few good curse breakers in France, but I think Gringotts employs the best. You should contact them and have the curse removed as soon as Harry's fever is gone."

He looked once again at the green-eyed child. "Who's taking care of him?"

"I do it, with the help of my two best friends and my house-elf," James replied.

"Any feminine touch?"

"No. I've had no woman since my wife was killed."

The doctor looked him in the eyes. "As much as I appreciate your feelings and your intentions, such a small child also needs a mother figure, and you may also benefit from having a woman's touch in your house."

James looked stubborn. "I don't want any woman. Nobody can replace my Lily!"

"Nobody ever will, but you still need somebody to care for your son like a mother would and maybe tend to your house as well."

James was still reluctant. "I can't take just anybody. Harry is already showing his magic, so a Muggle can't take that post, and I know no magical folks in France."

"You could hire an English one," the doctor suggested.

"I don't want anybody in England to know. I have my suspicions about who's to blame for what happened."

The doctor thought for a moment. "May I suggest somebody?"

James nodded.

"My daughter, although quite a powerful witch, had shown no interest in any profession. She is fascinated by children, though. I can ask her if such a position may interest her."

"Fine. Send her to me if she agrees." He wrote down the address.

The doctor pulled a few potion vials and gave them to James with appropriate instructions. "I'll come in the evening to check Harry again. I may bring Eloise with me."

By mid afternoon, Harry was already feeling much better. He was babbling happily as he played with his toys. The three adults were sitting nearby, chatting and watching the toddler.

Doctor DuPont arrived after sunset, accompanied by a shy young woman whose hair was tied back and covered with a scarf. She looked quite young and hesitant. Harry was already tired and sleepy, but seeing the young woman he raised his hands towards her and said, "Mummy!"

That word seemed to change the atmosphere at once. James looked puzzled and a bit annoyed; Sirius looked amused while Remus looked surprised. The young woman moved purposefully, sweeping the child up, cradling him to her bosom and murmuring sweet words to him. Harry also moved his hands around her neck as if not wanting to let go of her.

Dr. DuPont smiled at the scene. It confirmed his suspicion that a femainine hand was badly needed at the household. He checked the child, finding him on his way to full recovery and left some more potion vials. Harry didn't let go of Eloise the whole time. She then gave him his supper and a vial of potion and put him in bed.

James had tears in his eyes as he noticed how much Harry missed his mother. He didn't fail to notice the immediate affinity between the boy and the young woman. He made up his mind even before speaking with her.

"Will you stay for dinner?" he asked the two, once Harry fell asleep.

"I promised my wife to be home for dinner, but we expected our daughter to stay a bit later, trying to see if she'd like to take your job offer," Dr. DuPont replied. His daughter only smiled her acceptance.

Dinner was awkwardly silent at first. Eloise resumed her shy attitude and James wasn't sure about what would be right to say to her. It was Sirius who broke the ice first.

"So, do you think you'd like to care for Harry?" he asked her.

She seemed to lose her shyness once the child was mentioned. "Yes, please. He's so adorable!"

"Why has he called you 'mummy'? You don't look like my deceased wife," James said, quite forcefully.

"I can't answer that," she said sadly. "I'll never be able to replace his mother, no matter how hard I try. I only hope I can give him love as close to a mother's love as can be."

James took a moment to look at her, making her blush under his stare. She had nice oval face, reminiscent of Lily's. Her eyes were brown with some honey specks in them and the few hairs that escaped from her tightly wound scarf were reddish brown. She was quite beautiful, really, even if she looked almost plain compared to Lily.

"How old are you?" he asked, no longer frowning.

"I'm twenty, yet it's not very polite to ask a woman of her age, Sir," she answered with a shadow of a smile.

James blushed at her response, making the two others laugh. Eloise turned and glared at them, making them stop immediately.

"Aren't you a bit young for the job?" James asked.

"I don't think so. While some women become mothers close to thirty, others do it even before reaching twenty, and make just as good mothers. I believe you're not much older, and so was your wife."

"Yes, I'm twenty-one, as are my friends here and my Lily was the same age."

Her face softened. "You loved her very much, I see."

James couldn't answer. His eyes filled with tears and his voice choked. Eloise didn't hesitate. She brushed his hair with her hand and hugged him, caressing his back with her other hand. "It's alright. Don't be ashamed for loving someone so much..."

An hour later, when Remus accompanied her home, she knew that she was starting a wonderful new chapter in her life.

Eloise moved in the next day. James intended to give her a whole wing for herself, but she preferred a small bedroom, adjacent to the nursery. Sulis seemed to like his new "Miss Louise" and tried his best to make her comfortable and feel welcome.

James found it more difficult, though. Her presence reminded him too much of Lily, despite the obvious differences. He was glad that Harry seemed to get attached to her immediately. Although he wanted Harry to remember his mother, he knew Harry was too young for that. He was glad that Harry had a mother figure to love him, even if it wasn't his real mother. Harry now called her Liz only and didn't use "Mummy" at all.

Gringotts of Paris was willing to help for a fee, as usual. The curse breaker worked on Harry several hours, and eventually managed to remove the dark magic that resided in the scar. It then took only a simple charm and some ointment to heal the scar until just a faint lightning shape stayed visible, and just if one was looking very attentively.

They didn't stay in the castle, though. Liz, as James started to call her as well, thought that such an old castle was not the best place for raising a child. James bought a house near the shore, close to the centre of a village, where they moved when Harry turned two. Sirius had already returned to London, to restore his house and claim his position as Lord Black. Remus, although not having such a position, also left, trying to find adequate living for himself, despite his affliction.

Harry started meeting other children his age. Two years later he was speaking fluent French, just like all the other children around him. He only spoke English with James and Liz and with the two Marauders.

James had also made it a habit to join the fishing fleet once in a while, gaining a lot of respect for Monsieur Jacques. Nobody needed to know that he actually owned the fleet.

While James was glad for Harry making friends and learning French, he was a bit concerned that Harry would not know his heritage and would be viewed as a stranger by his British peers, once they returned to England, as he always intended.

When Harry reached his fifth birthday, James decided it was time to return.

"Why are you sad?" he asked Liz.

"Well, Monsieur, you're going to England and I'm going to miss Harry... and you."

"Why should you miss us?" James sounded bewildered.

"You're leaving, while I..."

"Why? Don't you want to come with us?"

Liz looked overwhelmed for a moment. "You mean I'll continue staying with you two?"

"Of course, Liz. You're the closest Harry has to a mother. He would be devastated if you didn't come with us, almost like losing his mother again," James said sincerely.

He took her hands in his. "I want you to come with us to England. Will you come, please."

She smiled and teared. "I will." Wiping her tears she added, "It would be a good chance to improve my accent, I believe."

"Of course, as well as get to know the lovely English weather," he added.

"Oh, You!..." she smacked him lightly on his head.

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	4. Kent

**4\. Kent**

James was still unwilling to rejoin the British Wizarding world. There was nobody there to trust, as he saw it, and there were too many bad memories. He decided to "go muggle" just as he had done in France, although for a very different reason. In France, he only wanted to give his son the best environment to grow and have friends. In England, he wanted to keep his existence secret from the magical world. He bought a nice house in Kent, in a middle-high class residential area, between lawyers, doctors, dentists and other high-income professionals. As a successful businessman, he found it quite easy to integrate into the local society. He even joined some charity events and went to the local church once in a while, although he had no religious feelings at all. Liz, at least, found it comforting, reminding her of her childhood. While not a devout Christian, her father used to go to church regularly, as part of being a doctor, so that people would know him and trust him as part of their community. She used to go to church with her parents, and she loved the serene atmosphere. It was now part of her job, as she saw it, to make sure that both James and Harry were fully accepted by the local community.

Harry found some new friends at the kindergarten, although his French accent attracted some unwanted attention at the beginning. His best friend was actually a slightly older girl, who initially found his accent interesting and tried to learn French with his help while teaching him proper English. They soon found out that her family lived just across the street from the Potter residence and the two children started spending most of their waking hours together, usually at the Granger residence.

Liz came that evening to collect Harry, when Mrs. Granger stopped her for a chat.

"Would you and your husband like to join us for a barbecue during the weekend?"

Liz didn't know what to say, at first. She just blurted, "I'm not married."

Jean Granger felt uncomfortable. She'd never liked to peek into other people's lives. "I'm sorry, Liz. I just assumed that having a child..."

"He's not my child. His mother died and I'm his nanny and housekeeper since he was less than two-years old."

This shocked Jean a bit. "I would have never guessed. You give him so much love, and you seem to be very close to his father as well..."

"I wish..." escaped Liz's lips before she could control herself. "Well, I love Harry as if he was my own. He's so easy to love..."

"And so is his father, isn't he?"

Liz just blushed and said nothing.

Jean smiled knowingly. "Do come on Sunday, the three of you. Harry has become such a close friend with Hermione that we think it would be just right if both families spend some time together."

"I'll pass the invitation to Mr. Potter," Liz promised.

"Don't you call him James," Jean teased.

Liz blushed again. "Only when nobody else is present. Except for Harry, of course."

Another conversation took place at the same time in Hermione's room. "Your mother is very nice," Hermione commented.

"I don't have a mother. Liz is my housekeeper."

"What?! She loves you like a mother, Harry. Are you sure?"

"My mother died when I was a baby. Liz came to help raise me. She loves me a lot." Harry didn't feel embarrassed to tell the facts he had known since before he could remember.

"Why doesn't your father marry her, so she could become your mother?"

Harry scratched his head. "I don't know. He loves her, but it's a secret."

"Does Liz love your father?"

"Oh, yes, but I shouldn't tell him."

Hermione thought about it and then smiled mischievously. She already had a plan.

Sunday was quite cold, making them all stay indoors. James helped Dave Granger with the barbecue. After living several years in muggle environment he was quite good at it. Liz was chatting with Jean about raising children while said children were spending their time in Hermione's room.

Both children were already avid readers, having learned to read at age four. They were currently reading a book about African wild life, also enjoying the exotic pictures like any child their age. They were lying on their bellies on the carpet, with the book in front of them and their bodies touching as much as that position allowed. None of them thought anything about it. They were close friends and liked to stay close.

They all sat at the dining table when the barbecued meats were ready and then moved to the living room for the tea and biscuits after they finished eating. James and Liz were sitting close to each other yet far enough not to touch. It looked like an invisible barrier was keeping them apart.

Jean and Dave had no such barrier. Jean snuggled into Dave and he put his arm around her shoulders. Jean noticed a quick glance of longing from Liz towards James, before Liz returned to her stoic expression.

Harry and Hermione were sitting on the floor, behind the sofa on which James and Liz were sitting. They were talking loud enough for these two to hear, yet softly enough not to be heard by Hermione's parents.

"If you loved me, would you have kept it a secret?" Hermione asked.

"No, I would have told you as soon as I knew," he said. "And if you loved me, what would you have done?"

"I don't think I would have told you. Girls don't do it. I would have shown you. I'd put my head on your shoulder, hold your hand in mine and just let you know without really saying," she told him.

Harry looked at her, noticing the position they were in. "Oh... but your head is on my shoulder and you're holding my hand. I know you're my best friend and I'm your best friend. Do you love me?"

Hermione blushed. "You're my best friend. Of course I love you!"

"Well, maybe... I love you too," Harry said hesitantly.

They stayed comfortably that way for a little while, before talking again.

"Will you marry me when we're older?" Hermione asked, not sure why she was even thinking of it. That was not part of her plan. Still, knowing her parents and seeing Liz with James, made this question come to her mind.

Harry didn't hesitate. "Yes, I will marry you once we're old enough," he said with all the seriousness of a five-years old.

They couldn't see it through the backrest, but the couple on the sofa seemed to have lost the invisible barrier. Liz's head was resting comfortably on James's shoulder, her body snuggling into him, and James put his arm on her shoulders while holding her hand in his. Both felt content.

Hermione peeked over the sofa and smiled. Her plan had worked well. Little did she know that their little conversation also had some far fetching consequences.

\/\/\/\/\/

It took a few more months for James to fully accept his sentiments for Liz. He was still feeling occasionally like he was cheating on Lily by showing love to Liz, yet her love was making wonders, and he was finally letting go of the woman in his memory for the woman in his arms.

It was just before dinner, when James decided it was time to act on his feelings. As Liz finished checking that Harry was sitting properly on the chair, James stopped her from starting serving by putting a hand on her shoulder.

"Liz, you've been a ray of sunshine in my life since you first came to the castle. It took me way too long to understand and acknowledge my feelings and I feel undeserving of your attention and your patience and lately – your love. Still, I hope that love will prevail." He dropped on one knee, presenting an elegant ring in his hand. "Liz, my love, will you give me the honour of becoming my wife, even if I'm not really worthy of you?"

Liz bent down, disregarding the ring. "I love you, James, and if marrying you is bound to make you happy, then I'll marry you, as you wish, hoping to be worthy of you."

Harry watched them kiss and smiled. He knew they would all be much happier from now on.

James still didn't want anything to do with the British wizarding world. They married in early summer at the local church of the small town where the DuPont family lived. None of them minded if it was a catholic or a protestant church, as long as their marriage could be recognized. Sirius and Remus were present, of course, and so were the Grangers. Harry served as the best man, while Hermione was the maid of honour. All the guests smiled as they saw the two children taking their roles so seriously. It was extremely cute. Nobody even knew that they had played an even bigger role in making the two realize their mutual feelings.

They spent the rest of the summer on the French Riviera. Sirius continued studying the female gender on the beaches and Remus also tried his luck to find love, yet the newly wed seemed oblivious to almost everybody, except for Harry.

The children also enjoyed this summer. The Grangers took them to visit many castles and palaces as well as other attractions, yet both children found the museums most interesting, making Sirius wonder. "Where did we go wrong with them?" he whined, to the amusement of the others.

It was a lazy afternoon. The adult Grangers were taking a nap; the newly wed were cocooned in their bedroom, and the two marauders were trying their luck on the beach. Hermione and Harry were just strolling in the garden surrounding the villa.

"Would you like to have a brother or a sister, now that your Dad and Liz are married?"

Harry thought for a bit. "I don't mind. Liz would like it, though."

"And you're alright with it?"

"Sure! She loves me and I love her. If she wants more children, it's alright with me."

Hermione seemed to have thought of this before. "Would you like to have children with me when we're old enough?"

Harry looked bewildered. He wasn't even sure what bringing children meant, despite having read a book explaining this in terms appropriate for children his age. Yet if Hermione wanted it... "Sure! I'd like it."

They were now sitting on a bench, their legs dangling under it. Hermione lent on Harry and looked content. He put his arm around her and held her tight. "I think I love you," he said softly.

"I know," she whispered, enjoying the moment. Harry smiled and leaned back.

\/\/\/\/\/

As expected, Harry and Hermione attended the same primary school. They were even lucky to be put in the same class, which made them both very happy, although they didn't sit together in class.

Their "bookworm" tendencies made them less than popular, yet they managed to find a few friends. Being outstanding students, while making their parents happy, was a mixed blessing, concerning their social standing. Still, both were mainly interested in spending their time with each other and any new friends had to accept them both.

Surprisingly, both also proved quite good during the physical training lessons. Harry could outrun all his classmates and Hermione was the fastest runner among the girls. Both proved quite good when playing basketball or volleyball, where good coordination was needed. While their achievements, both at sports and other subjects, brought some envy, they also made them popular enough. None felt any lack of friends.

* * *

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	5. Discoveries

**5\. Discoveries**

Harry was doing homework with Hermione, as they had been doing since starting school. They were debating the exact wording of a certain sentence.

"Let's see how it's written in the book," Hermione said. She extended her hand, grabbed the book and opened it in front of them both.

"Have you noticed what you've done?" Harry asked her.

"I've taken the book from my bag," she answered factually, not understanding why he was asking such an obvious question.

"Where's your bag?" he asked.

Hermione looked around. She expected her bag to be on the floor besides her chair, only it wasn't there. Looking around she saw it at the far corner of the room. She frowned with concern. "Why have you moved my bag there?"

"I haven't touched it. You put it there when we came. You wanted to make room for that new construction game."

"Then how have I taken the book?" she wondered loudly.

"By magic!" Harry exclaimed.

"There's no such thing as magic. It's all just camera tricks and sleight of hand, you know," she said indignantly.

"That's what we see on TV," Harry said, "but real wizards and witches do real magic, and you are a witch."

Hermione's eyes watered. "I thought you are my friend! Why do you call me names?"

Harry tried to placate her. "I'm not calling you names. A man who does magic is a wizard and a woman, or a girl, who does magic is a witch. You've clearly done magic, so you're a witch, just as I am a wizard."

"What do you mean by that?" she asked, eyes still wet.

Harry hugged her shoulders, the way he always used to hug her when she was upset. "You're my friend and I don't call you names. I've seen you do magic several times already. This is not the first time you brought a book from the other side of the room without even noticing, you know..."

"I did?..."

"And there's the time a passing car sprayed us with dirty water. Your clothes were dry and clean a moment later."

"Well..." She didn't really know what to say. She suddenly remembered he said he was a wizard. "What can you do, that you say you're a wizard?"

Harry swiped his hand over the cluttered desk, making all the books close and stack themselves.

"Wow! That's cool!" she said.

"But I can't bring a book from the other side of the room. Dad says it's called 'accidental magic' and kids can't really control it. He says I'll go to a special school to learn this, one where he and my Mum had studied."

Hermione looked sad. "Then where will I learn it?"

"Why, the same school. My Mum was also muggle-born, that is, her parents were not magical, just like yours."

Hermione became very excited now. "Where is this school? Can we visit there already? Do we need to pass some tests to be accepted?"

Harry smiled at his friend. "Hold it! I know very little about that school. We can go to my house and ask Dad, if you want."

"Sure! Can we go now?"

A few minutes later, a very confused Jean Granger helped the kids cross the street, not understanding why they wanted to go to Potter's residence so urgently.

"Daddy, Daddy, guess what? Hermione is a witch! We can go to Hogwarts together!" Harry burst into James's study.

"Are you sure, Harry? This is not something to take lightly, you know." James was quite reluctant to bring the subject of magic up with anybody outside his family and his closest friends.

"Yes, Daddy. I've seen her doing magic more than once. She usually grabs books which are across the room or on a high shelf without even noticing it."

James looked suspiciously at Hermione, who was trying her best to merge with the door-frame. Her barely tameable hair could be a giveaway, he thought.

"Hermione, I'd like to show you something in that book with the gold trimming. It's about learning magic. Can you bring it to me?" he asked.

The girl seemed to forget her shyness. She quickly stepped towards the wall, where the requested book was lying on a shelf, way too high for her to reach. She put her hand forward and the book shot from its place, landing straight into her hand. "Is this the book you wanted, Mr. Potter?" she asked.

"Yes, dear. Just the right book, and you are certainly a witch. Let's sit on the sofa and I'll tell you a bit more about Magic."

James felt quite comfortable, flanked by Harry on one side and Hermione on the other. It somehow felt right. The book he had asked for was just a spell-book of simple household charms, yet it was a whole new world for the girl. Her eyes sparkled whenever he showed them a new spell and she looked aching to try everything as soon as possible. He let the children read a bit by themselves while he cast a spell to measure their magical cores. He expected Harry to be quite powerful, considering his mother, at least. He wasn't surprised to find his nine-years son more powerful than he had been when he started Hogwarts. He was quite surprised to find that Hermione was just as powerful. He felt a pang in his heart, remembering Lily. This girl seemed to have some very similar qualities.

Watching the children he noticed that both were trying to do the charms although none had a wand. He wasn't surprised much when they tried a summoning charm and both succeeded. He had only mastered that charm on his second year, using his wand. Before too long they were able to perform several more charms wandlessly. James and Liz just watched with amazement what the children were able to do.

When Liz accompanied Hermione back home that evening, she invited the Grangers for dinner on the coming weekend.

This wasn't the first time Jean or Dave entered the Potter residence. It looked similar to any other middle-high-class house, with nice, modern furniture and some antiques added in for the atmosphere, a few original paintings positioned tastefully and a general feeling of comfort and disregard for the price. It was very clean, much cleaner than any house they had visited, without looking sterile. The living room had the usual TV corner and a good music system, while the study from which James handled most of his businesses contained a computer and a fax machine. It was lined with shelves holding many books. She couldn't decipher most of their names. Jean found it fascinating.

After a pleasant and nicely served dinner, the children went to play in Harry's room while the adults lounged in the living room with some background music playing softly.

They sat around the coffee table when James started talking. "Do you know anything about Magic?" he asked his guests.

"There's no such thing," Jean said in an authoritative tone. "There's only camera tricks and sleight of hand, nothing more."

"If you're referring to what we can find on TV or at some fairs, then I completely agree with you," James said, "but do you believe that real Magic exists, not that falsehood that had come to be shown as Magic?"

Jean didn't seem so sure now. Dave thought for a moment before answering. "I think I've heard something when I was still a child. I've overheard my father speaking about his great aunt who was able to do some unexplained stuff. Most of the family considered her weird, but he liked her. She lived to more than a hundred years, yet I was just a baby when she died."

"You've never told me about her," Jean said accusingly.

"It wasn't anything significant. It still isn't, I believe."

"It may be significant," James said. "You see, your daughter may have similar talents."

"What do you mean? I've seen no unusual things with her, except for her unquenchable thirst for knowledge," Jean said.

"Have you ever seen her doing something like this?" James waved his hand towards his study, making a book fly into his hand. He still kept his wand hidden. The Grangers looked astounded. "I've seen her doing this a few days ago and Harry is telling me she's been doing it for quite awhile, although she was not fully aware of it," James added.

It took him some time to tell the Grangers about the magical world and how it coexisted with the mundane. Once they started understanding how it would eventually affect them, he let Hermione show how she could summon a book and Harry showed how he stacked some books. Even Liz pulled out her wand and showed them some household magic.

"At least I know why their house is so clean," Jean told Dave when they were back home.

"I hope Hermione would be happy, whatever she may choose to do," Dave said. Although James didn't tell them about how he had lost his first wife, Dave was smart enough to understand that not everything was well in the magical world. The mere fact that a wizard had chosen to live a mostly mundane way of life was evidence enough.

The Potters came for dinner a week later. After the meal, James took a parchment out of his pocket. "Dave, I've asked the goblins at Gringotts for their ancestry test. This parchment, after you put a few drops of blood on the marked spot, will show you your ancestry for as many generation as would fit in. I believe you have some very distinct ancestors to be proud of."

Dave didn't know what goblins and Gringotts really meant, but he trusted James. "What should I do then?"

"Just prick your finger with something and smear a few drops of blood on the marked spot."

Jean gave her husband a sharp pin which she had disinfected first. A few minutes later they all looked with fascination as Dave's family tree drew itself on the parchment.

Most names were meaningless for the Grangers, except for Dave's close family, yet the tree went about a thousand years back. The tree was color coded, with magical people written in red and blue while non-magicals were pink and azure. Most of the names were non-magical. Yet every few generation there was a magical person. One name, appearing near the top of the tree, surprised James the most.

"You have a very respectable ancestry," he remarked. "I believe you may be the only descendants of Rowena Ravenclaw."

"How significant is that?" Jean asked.

"That Lady was one of the four founders of our school for magic, where all magical children are taught from age eleven to eighteen. The four are considered the most important people in the history of magical Britain, except for Merlin," James explained.

"What can it mean for Hermione?" Dave asked.

"I'm not sure. There are only a handful of descendants of the founders, as far as I know, and most of them don't advertise it. Although they may claim partial possession of Hogwarts, this may attract unwanted attention. I wouldn't even tell her until she's old enough to decide for herself."

James thought a bit more. "There may even be a vault in Gringotts awaiting her, but she will only be able to access it after reaching adulthood. I wouldn't bother until then..."

\/\/\/\/\/

They all visited the zoo during the Easter vacation. Even the Dursleys joined them, assuming that the zoo would not encourage any "freaky" behaviour. Although in good relations with the Potters, they still feared anything they couldn't understand. The weather was dry but quite cold for the season. The reptile house seemed a good place for taking a respite from the cold. Hermione was fascinated by some of the lizards. The boys seemed to favour the snakes. Harry joined the boys quite reluctantly, and only after Hermione encouraged him to do so, waving her hand in what Harry understood as "Go with them. I'll join you in a moment."

Dudley and his adopted brother seemed to find the biggest snakes most interesting. The Boa Constrictor fascinated them, yet the snake didn't seem in the mood. In fact, it was fast asleep. Dudley stood with his nose pressed against the glass, staring at the glistening brown coils. He tapped on the glass, but the snake didn't budge. He then turned to Harry. "Can you make him move?"

He didn't say more, but it was understood that he thought Harry could use some magic to force the snake. Harry didn't think he could. He knew no magic that did this and wouldn't use magic there anyway. "I think it would respond better if we ask it politely," he said.

"How would you ask a snake?" Dudley wondered.

"Like this," Harry said. He turned his face to the snake. "Could you please move a bit, as my cousin here is very interested in seeing your full length," he said to the snake, not expecting this to do any good.

They were all surprised to see the snake open its eyes and uncoil. It was clearly done in response to Harry, as it kept looking at the dark haired boy. "Is that enough?" it asked after showing its full length.

Harry looked at his awe struck cousins, noticing that Hermione had also joined them. "Thank you. I think you've made a big impression on them."

The snake recoiled and closed its eyes, going back to sleep, yet Dudley and Henry were still looking at Harry with open mouths. "What did you say to the snake?" Henry asked.

"Didn't you hear it? I just asked it to move a bit and show its full length for you."

Dudley shook his head. "Whatever you said, it didn't sound like English. You only hissed. Where did you learn to speak this way?"

Harry looked confused. "I've never learned this. I was sure I was speaking normally. Are you sure about this?"

Both boys nodded. Hermione just looked pensive.

"Well, I hope Dad will know. I surely can't explain this."

They were soon joined by the adults, as they moved to look at some other snakes there, but the boys seemed distracted.

Later, at home, Harry told his father about the incident. James listened carefully. "Can you talk that way now? It may help if you imagine the snake just in front of you."

Harry closed his eyes, thinking of that big snake and repeated what he had said earlier, before opening his eyes, seeing James smile at him.

"Well, Harry, you seem to have inherited a very rare talent, that only appears in our family once every few generations. Being so rare and concerning snakes, it is considered as evil by many, but it isn't. My grandfather had this talent and demonstrated it when I was just a kid, but neither my father nor I inherited it. Use it wisely and keep it hidden as much as you can, so you won't attract unwelcome attention."

Harry nodded. This was just another thing to keep secret.

"Can I tell this to Hermione, though? She was present when it happened."

James nodded reluctantly. He would have liked it otherwise, but if the girl was present... He only hoped nobody else would know.

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	6. Hogwarts Letters

**6\. Hogwarts Letters**

Harry was looking forward to his eleventh birthday, when he would be invited to Hogwarts, yet this didn't mean he neglected his studies at the regular school. It was practically impossible when Hermione was his best friend. Besides, he really liked learning new things. They even had a friendly competition of a kind, about who would get better grades. It was usually a tie.

They both learned a lot anyhow. Ever since discovering she was magical, Hermione wanted to study everything she could find concerning magic or the magical world. She spent a lot of time studying practically every book the Potters had at home, along with Harry. They soon learned that most wizards and witches used wands to help focus their magic, yet wands were not given to children. This didn't bother them too much. "As magic is basically just the manifestation of our intent, if we focus our intent well enough, we may not need wands at all," Hermione explained.

"But where will we focus our intent?" Harry asked.

Hermione lifted her hand, as if pointing at an object. "The tip of this finger seems as good a place as the tip of a wand, and we always have it handy."

"What shall we try, then?" he grinned at her.

"Lumos!" they both said, making the tips of their pointing fingers light up brightly.

"Just like E.T." Hermione grinned.

"But much more fun!"

\/\/\/\/\/

Hogwarts letters were sent at the beginning of July. Deputy Headmistress McGonagall decided it would make life easier for first year students if they all got their letters early in the summer vacation, regardless of their exact birthday. Once she made sure all the letters were on their way, she started visiting muggle-born and muggle-raised first-years. There was a lot of explanation to do and she was already experienced with that.

Her first destination was one she had wanted to visit for the past ten years; only strict instructions from the headmaster had stopped her. She was now extremely anxious to meet Harry Potter again. She knocked on the door at Privet Drive and heard a male voice order, "Boy, check who's at the door!"

The door opened a moment later. A tall, muscular boy, with dark brown hair and blue eyes looked at her questioningly. She could also see a faded scar on his forehead, only it was a straight line and not at the right place. She remembered the baby's scar to be above his left eye, while this one was on the right.

"Does Harry Potter live here?" she asked, somewhat confused.

"No, Ma'am. There's nobody by that name in this house," the boy answered.

"And what's your name?" she asked.

"I'm Henry Dursley," the boy answered proudly.

Another boy approached. He had blond hair and was wider and more muscular, although not taller. "I'm Dudley," he presented himself. "Need any help?"

Minerva was extremely confused now. Albus had told her that the boy had not had a good life and his family abhorred him due to him being magical. The boy in front of her didn't fit any of these. She couldn't sense any magic in him either. This was the right address but certainly not the right boy.

"Umm... I may have got the wrong address..." she mumbled an apology. She retreated quickly into Mrs. Figg's house and Floo'ed to Hogwarts. In her haste, she didn't hear the snickers at the Dursley residence, nor the phone conversation with one Mr. DePoitiers that followed.

Minerva stepped out of the fireplace into the headmaster's office. "Albus! Harry is not with the Dursleys!"

"Now, now, please... I'm sure there's some mistake there. Mrs. Figg has been reporting on him regularly. He seems to be doing better than expected, but he certainly lives with the Dursleys."

"I've been there, Albus! The dark haired boy is **not** Harry! He doesn't even look remotely like either James or Lily. His eyes are blue, his nicely combed hair is brown, his scar is different and he has **NO MAGIC** **!** "

Dumbledore looked worried now. He checked the myriad of instruments on the shelves and frowned. They showed nothing out of place, except one – the magic core detector was firmly against its zero marking.

"Well, Minerva, I'll handle this. You should go on visiting the other students living in muggle houses," he finally said, dismissing her.

The Dursleys were finishing dinner when the doorbell rang. Vernon opened the door. "Who are you?" he spat at the tall old man who stood there. The long beard, crooked nose and colourful robes were enough for him to identify the visitor, as James had given him a full description of the man, but he didn't need to show any recognition nor any respect.

"I'm Albus Dumbledore, Headmaster of the Hogwarts school. May I come in?"

"I don't know you and I don't want to have anything to do with you," Vernon spat, closing the door.

Albus pushed the button again.

"Oh, well... Come in! I don't need the neighbours seeing you at my door," Vernon said, opening the door and looking annoyed.

Albus walked in and sat on the sofa without being invited. Petunia brought some tea and biscuits and sat on a couch while Vernon took the other couch. The two boys were just peeking in from behind the stairs and Albus ignored them.

Albus seeped some tea before he started to talk, while trying some passive legilimency on the two muggles. Normally, this wasn't a problem, especially since both were expectantly looking at him. He failed, though. Once he entered their minds he only found a vast park with different flowers, lawns, bits of woodland, but nothing like thoughts or memories. This greatly confused him. He would have tried to check the children, but both boys seemed to have lost interest and moved upstairs.

He finally decided to talk. "About ten years ago, on November first, I left a baby bundled in blankets on your doorstep. Can you tell me what happened to him?"

"A baby on our doorstep? I've never seen one. I've only been informed by the police that my sister and her husband had been found dead about a week into November," Petunia said in a harsh tone.

"Then who's the boy who lives with you?"

"Why, we have two sons. After Dudley was born, I was told I couldn't have another child, so we adopted Henry on December, when Dudley was about a year old," Petunia explained as if talking to a stupid child.

"Then where is Harry?" Dumbledore asked, talking mostly to himself.

"Why should I even care? He was your responsibility and you dumped him on a doorstep in a cold night. Quite a way to care for a baby, you know. But he's probably just as weird as his parents, so why should I care?" Petunia sounded harsh and judging, exactly as Dumbledore expected her to be. He tried reading her mind once again, getting the same results.

"Well, I should leave you now. If you hear anything at all about Harry, will you be so kind as to inform me? You may give your letter to Mrs. Figg. She'll know how to contact me."

Both Dursleys nodded solemnly. Vernon showed Albus to the door, muttering "I hope to never see you or your kind again," before slamming the door shut.

They sat quietly for a few minutes, until they heard Mrs. Figg's creaky gate open and shut and then her door slam close. Vernon and Petunia looked at each other and burst laughing.

"He's practically admitted that Mrs. Figg is his spy," Petunia said.

"Let's call James on the phone. He'd love to hear everything about this visit," Vernon suggested, as Petunia followed him to the telephone in the kitchen.

\/\/\/\/\/

The Grangers had a visit a few days later. Hermione opened the door to a tall, severe looking lady who was dressed extremely out of fashion.

"Miss Granger, I presume," the woman said, "I'm professor McGonagall from Hogwarts and I'm here to explain to you and your parents about the letter you have received."

"Come in, please. We were expecting you," Hermione answered, showing her into the living room where her parents were sitting, along with a thin, black-haired boy who seemed more concerned about the computer game he was playing than about anything else.

Minerva looked at the boy and commented, "It's not wise to let strangers hear what I'm going to tell you."

"Oh, that's alright. He already got his letter as well," Hermione answered.

"I don't remember anybody living in the neighbourhood who'd been invited."

"Well, his letter bore a wrong address, but the owl found him just the same, and he already knows everything," Hermione assured her.

Minerva looked at the boy more attentively and her heart skipped a beat. Could it be? The black unruly hair was familiar, yet...

"May I have a word with you?" she asked the boy.

"Yea..." he groaned, pausing the game and lifting his eyes to her. Minerva was shocked. That unmistakeable emerald green... She had not seen it for almost ten years. Her eyes wandered to his forehead. It was clear of any blemish, unless... Well, she could see some very faint remains of a lightning shaped scar, but only because she knew exactly where to search. It was practically undetectable for most anyone else.

"Miss Granger here mentioned you've also got your letter. May I know your full name please?"

"Oh, I'm Harry Potter. My parents have already told me everything about the letter and about Hogwarts. Dad said you were his favourite teacher." His lopsided grin was exactly like... But that couldn't be! She'd seen James dead and buried... yet...

"Can we visit your home after I finish here?" she asked, barely controlling her excitement.

"We can try. I'm not sure the wards would let you in, though."

Minerva had to swallow hard a few times. She gratefully accepted the cup of tea offered by her hostess. It helped her calm down before starting her explanations. These turned out to be redundant, which was not surprising, considering the girl's friend. Minerva was surprised, though, by the vast knowledge the girl had and by her quick understanding. She seemed like Ravenclaw stuff, yet Minerva would have really liked her to join her house. Harry stayed out of the conversation as much as he could, although it was clear that he was listening just as attentively as his friend.

Harry suggested to call home before taking Minerva there. She could only listen to his side of the conversation. "Liz, there's a Professor McGonagall here, who'd like to come and talk with you and Dad. Do you know if the wards will let her in?... OK, ask him... Thanks. I love you!"

Harry turned to the stern woman. "The wards will be adjusted in a few minutes. Time enough for another game."

He turned back to the computer game. Hermione joined him and Minerva was just astounded at the proficiency both children showed with the game.

A young woman opened the door bearing the name "DePoitiers". "Hi, I'm Eloise Potter, but everybody calls me Liz. Welcome into our home, Mrs. McGonagall. James will join us in a moment."

The older woman followed her in, quite bewildered. She tried to search her memory for the name or the face but came out with nothing. "Have you gone to Hogwarts?" she finally asked.

"No, Madame. I went to Beauxbatons, like all the magical children in France."

"So, you're French?" This was the logical conclusion.

"I was, before marrying James," Liz answered with a smile. Minerva could barely notice the remains of an accent.

"I see you've already met my wife, Professor," she heard James' voice as he came in. She couldn't mistake that voice.

"James! I was sure you were dead, along with Lily." She could see his face turn to a pained expression for a moment.

"Well, I'm quite alive and well, as you can see. It was only a doppelgänger that was killed that night. Now, I believe you came here for Harry."

It took him some time to tell his story. Minerva was so surprised that she failed to notice that he didn't tell her how he got Harry or why he lived as a muggle. She was just overwhelmed with joy at finding her favourite student (and nightmare, on occasions) was still alive and well. Not even finding Harry compared to that. She was also introduced to the four-years old Colette and to baby Charles. When she finally decided to leave, she met Sirius Black at the door, holding hands with a shapely blonde whom she didn't recognize.

Only when she reached Hogwarts she found out that she could tell nobody about that visit or about Harry. It was as if they were protected by a Fidelius charm. 'Well,' she thought fondly, 'James has always been good at charms.'

* * *

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	7. Preparations

**7\. Preparations**

They spent their last summer before Hogwarts in France, staying once again at the villa on the Riviera.

Unknown to the Granger parents, Sirius and Remus had already started teaching the children about becoming animagii. While none would be able to fully transform before they reached Hogwarts, so they thought, these studies would help them get better control of their magic and be able to fully transform much earlier.

The children were just sitting on "their" bench in the garden and talking.

"Have you found your true form?" Harry asked.

"I'm not sure. I think it is some kind of a cat, but it's not any kind of cat that I know of."

"How does it look?"

"I can't draw well. I'll show you," Hermione answered. She concentrated for a moment and then seemed to melt and turn into a new shape, similar to a large cat. She looked at him as if to verify that he was paying attention and then transformed back to her human form, looking a bit winded.

"Wow! You've transformed completely!"

Hermione shrugged. "I can only hold it for a few seconds, though. I've checked every book about the different cats and found nothing that fits. Maybe it's not really a cat?"

Harry thought for a moment. "Have you checked the book about magical creatures?"

"No. I don't have any."

"We have a full library at the castle, and a smaller one here. I'm sure we can find something," Harry assured her.

"We may try later. What is your form?" She was clearly still tired from the transformation.

"I don't know. Whenever I try to concentrate, as Sirius taught us, I can only see fire. That's not an animal!"

Hermione thought a bit. "Maybe it's an animal of fire? That would only be something magical. Let's try your library after dinner."

The library at the villa was really small, containing less than three hundred books, only half of them magical, but the book Harry had in mind was there. " _Magical Creatures And Where To Find Them_ " was a kind of encyclopedia with only brief description of each creature, but it also contained photos or drawings of the different species.

Hermione was eager to look through the book, as always. She scanned the pages quickly until she found something of interest. " _Kneazle – A magical species of cats. Its magic is displayed by its ability to communicate with all mammals and some birds as well. It makes a very good familiar but it's too unpredictable as a pet._ " There was a photo of what looked like a large cat with wide reddish bands.

"I look just like that as a cat!" Hermione squeaked. "I'm a Kneazle!"

It took her a moment to calm down. "Now, let's see what is fire-related."

She scanned some more pages. "Oh, what a formidable bird!" she claimed, looking excited. She then read loudly. " _Phoenix – the fire bird – is very rare. Its origins are unknown. An old phoenix would start burning and then the ashes would coalesce to give birth to a new Phoenix, retaining all the qualities of its predecessor. It can travel by fire, bypassing any wards or walls. It can carry weight a hundred times or more its own weight. Its tears can negate any poison and heal any wound._ "

"Wow! It's really fantastic," Harry exclaimed.

Hermione looked at him critically. "I believe that is your animagus form. Look at the picture here."

There were several pictures, actually, as there are several races of Phoenix. The most known one was red and yellow, like a fire. Another was completely white – the Snow Phoenix, and yet another was black, with only its beak and talons in silver – the Night Phoenix. Other kinds were mentioned, but they were too rare to have been photographed.

It was the white one which made Harry feel something special. Without really thinking he started transforming, turning into a beautiful white bird with long tail and strong wings. Hermione looked at him with mouth agape.

"You have transformed!" she whispered, as if afraid to say it any louder.

Phoenix Harry just chirped, sounding like a beautiful pipe organ. A moment later he transformed back.

Sirius came running. "What was that sound we've heard? It sounded like a phoenix."

"Harry found his true form," Hermione said, still in owe.

"A phoenix?"

"A snow phoenix."

They were all quiet while the other adults joined them.

"Can you show me?" Sirius asked, not quite sure of himself.

Both children transformed at once, making the others gasp in surprise. Hermione returned to herself a few seconds later and Harry kept his form only a tad longer. They both looked tired after the transformation.

It took the adults some time to fully understand what they had seen. James simply hugged both children tightly, congratulating them for their achievement. "You two are formidable. We've only managed this during our fourth year, using a special potion, while you did it so much younger and with no help from that dangerous potion." Liz joined the hug immediately, with some tears of joy in her eyes.

Sirius was almost dumbstruck, not knowing what to do. James had already told him these two were well above the average, but seeing this with his own eyes was certainly humbling. Remus, after recovering his initial shock, joined James in congratulations.

Only the Grangers stayed confused. They understood this was something special, yet didn't know what it could mean for their daughter. It took them another day, during which Liz explained to them what this really meant, to start understanding how special Hermione was.

\/\/\/\/\/

It was that summer that the Grangers let the Potters learn a secret of theirs: they were naturists, enjoying nude beaches and resorts. They had found a naturist beach nearby and persuaded the others to try it. Liz didn't really care, making James less nervous about it. Sirius was the most unsure about nudity, yet the opportunity to see many naked women was too good to miss. Harry was surprised to see Hermione undressing on the beach without a second thought.

"Aren't you nervous being naked?" he asked her, still wearing his shorts.

"Why should I? You can see we're all built the same, and it's all natural. Why should I be ashamed of my body? It's not deformed or ugly, is it?"

"Of course not! You're the most beautiful girl I've ever seen!"

Hermione smiled thankfully. "And you're the sweetest boy I've ever seen," she said, making him finally let go of his shorts.

\/\/\/\/\/

James made sure to buy most of Harry's school supplies in France, as well as Hermione's. They even visited a wand shop and had their wands custom made for them. This had an additional benefit – no Trace on the wands. "We shall still buy you wands at Ollivander's, so you won't attract undue attention. Those will be fine for schoolwork and simple tasks. We shall train you with these, though, as you may need any advantage you can get in some situations." His face darkened, thinking of the night he had lost his Lily.

Once back in England, Sirius took Harry to buy his "official" wand and the books, which could not be bought in France. Hermione shopped for the same items with her parents, as James thought it prudent not to attract attention to her friendship with Harry.

The two families spent the last night of August at Sirius's house in London, so they could Floo to King's Cross station and bypass the heavy morning traffic while still not disclosing the Potter's address.

As Hermione insisted, they reached platform 9¾ more than half an hour early, when just a few were present, mostly muggle born who had to use public transportation and needed to take large spares. They easily found an empty compartment and settled in, after saying their goodbyes and promising to write home regularly.

They soon saw a chubby boy accompanied by a stern-looking old lady with a vulture hat. The boy seemed utterly confused as the lady talked to him, repeatedly nodding without seeming to really understand anything she said.

Another boy attracted their attention, this one being a blond with a snotty expression. His mother – a tall blonde with perfect figure – seemed to fuss a bit about him, while his father, who was also blond and was using a cane, seemed to give the boy instructions, keeping a constant snarl on his face. Neither Harry nor Hermione liked father or son.

They also noticed some other children about their age. Two twin girls of Asian origins – probably from India. Harry noticed they were very beautiful but said nothing. He knew Hermione didn't think she was even pretty, despite him always telling her she was. Two contrasting girls, one a pallid blonde while the other a tanned brunette, seemed to be very close friends. A dark skinned boy caught their eyes – he was taller than most first-years and quite unsure of himself.

Most passengers had already boarded and the platform was getting empty when another group arrived: Two redhead twins who seemed at least a year older than Harry, a redhead boy who seemed much older, a boy about Harry's age and a girl, a bit younger. Their mother seemed to herd them to the train and they barely made it before the train started moving.

"How irresponsible of them," Hermione commented. Harry nodded his agreement.

The compartment door opened a short while later, revealing the red headed young boy. "I can't find an empty compartment. May I join you?"

Harry shrugged. He would have preferred not to share compartment with the boy, yet the compartment wasn't reserved, so he couldn't really refuse.

"I'm Ron Weasley," the boy said. "Who are you?" he added.

"I'm Hermione Granger. Are you starting first year?"

"Yea, I am."

"Harry Potter. We're also starting first year."

Ron's jaw dropped and he looked at Harry with incredulous eyes. "You can't be!" he finally said.

"I can and I am! What's the big deal?"

"But... You're famous!... You're a hero!" Ron blurted.

"I'm not a hero at all. I don't know how I survived when that madman came to kill me and my parents, but I was just a baby, so I couldn't be a hero at all." Harry sounded quite annoyed.

Ron seemed to want to say something, but the door opened again. The chubby boy they've seen earlier stood there. "Has anybody seen my toad?" he asked, panic and shyness mixed in his voice.

"No, we haven't," Harry said.

"Maybe we can help you find it?" Hermione suggested.

"Will you really help me?" The boy sounded surprised.

"Sure, why not," Hermione assured him. "What's your name?"

"I'm Nev... Neville Longbottom."

Hermione stood at the door and raised her hand into the corridor. "Accio Neville's toad!" she said, holding her hand open. This was just one of the spells both Hermione and Harry had learned to perform wandlessly. They were even able to do a few silently, though the Marauders thought they needed some more training.

A moment later, a toad came flying, landing straight into her hand.

"Here you are!" she said, handing the toad to Neville. "Keep it safe, as somebody may step on it if you lose it again."

"Thank you! My Gran would be very upset if I lost it," he said, watching his toad with some disgust.

Hermione looked at the boy and she suddenly remembered. "We haven't introduced ourselves yet. I'm Hermione Granger. Pleased to meet you, Neville."

"And I'm Harry Potter. Nice to meet you. Are you also starting first year?"

Neville looked a bit overwhelmed, but it only took him a short moment to recover. "Harry Potter?!... Well, I'm glad to meet you, and you too, Hermione."

Ron seemed to notice the attention the others were getting. He shoved his hand at Neville. "I'm Ron Weasley!" he said forcefully.

"Yes, I know. I've heard your Mum shouting at you on the platform."

Neville looked as if he wanted to stay, but then he said, "I should return to my compartment now. See you later..."

Both children were fully aware of the ties of the two boys they've met. The Marauders had spent many hours teaching them about all the families of distinction in the magical world, both light and dark. They knew that the Longbottoms were an old ally of the Potters, very loyal and very brave. They also knew that the Weasleys, recognizable by their distinct red hair, while also brave and loyal to the light side, were generally not very smart and quite poor. They also suspected that the blond family they've seen through the window was the Malfoy – a family known for its dark ways better than for its money, which was probably made just as darkly.

They were visited during the ride by all the Weasleys on train, learning that the twins were Fred and George, although they couldn't distinguish them, and the older boy was Percy, who was a Prefect. They all wanted to see "The Boy Who Lived", as Harry found out he was unofficially titled. Some others also peeked into their compartment, not even hiding their curiosity.

Harry tried talking with Ron but was not impressed by the boy's response. Ron ignored Hermione completely once she let slip that her parents were muggles. He was only interested in the sweets Harry bought from the cart which was pushed by an old witch. Harry brought a bit of everything. He knew all the magical sweets, of course, but had very few occasions to really indulge, and he also wanted Hermione to get to know them.

Hermione protested. "Sweets, no matter how magical, are still bad for the teeth!" She glanced at Ron, who was stuffing himself with the sweets Harry had offered to share. While Harry and Hermione had eaten one each, Ron was already devouring his ninth sweet.

"Do you like these?" Harry asked him, showing the box of "All Flavours Beans".

"Sure!" Ron said, taking the whole box.

Harry smirked at Hermione while giving it to Ron, who seemed oblivious. Ron started pushing the beans in his mouth. A moment later, he stopped with a disgusted expression. "This one tasted like shit!" he complained. This didn't stop him from putting some more into his mouth, grimacing at the tastes. Eventually, it was too much even for him. He put the beans into his trousers' pocket. "I'll save these for the twins," he said mischievously, before leaving the compartment, looking for the toilet.

* * *

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	8. First Month

**8\. First Month**

When they reached Hogsmeade they saw a huge man calling the first year students towards him. They knew he was named Hagrid and was a kind soul, despite his frightening looks. While James had become quite close with Hagrid during his school days, he still preferred to keep his distance from the wizarding world and he knew Hagrid was unable to keep a secret. Harry had been instructed to give Hagrid regards from Sirius and Remus only, but he didn't find the moment right for this.

Harry and Hermione went along with the others, finding seats in one of the boats. Ron didn't join them, and they both felt content about it. They were joined by the dark boy and a bubbly blonde. Once they were all seated, Hermione started the introductions.

"Hi, I'm Hermione Granger and my friends here is Harry Potter. May we know your names?"

"Dean Thomas, at your service," the dark boy bowed slightly.

"Harry Potter?!..." The blonde seemed stunned, like some others during the train ride, yet she regained control immediately. "Sorry... I'm Hanna Abbot. Aren't you excited to start Hogwarts?"

They chatted a bit until they reached the castle, all becoming too excited to really talk, as the magnificent lighted castle came into view.

Ron caught with Harry on the way to the antechamber where all first-years were instructed to wait. Harry was trying to be polite with him when another boy interrupted – the snotty blond they'd seen from the train.

"Hi, my name is Malfoy, Draco Malfoy. You'll soon find out that some wizarding families are much better than others, Potter. You don't want to go making friends with the wrong sort. I can help you there." He held out his hand to shake Harry's.

Harry fought an urge to shove him away, but eventually shook the offered hand. "I'll keep that in mind," he said politely, 'and I'm going to keep an eye on you,' he thought, feeling this boy would cause a lot of trouble.

Both Harry and Hermione already knew about the different houses. James tried not to instil any prejudice in them, yet it was difficult to ignore the fact that most death-eaters came from Slytherin, although James pointed specifically to Peter, who had been a Gryffindor and still became a death-eater.

Knowing Hermione, Harry was sure she would be sorted into Ravenclaw. He hoped that his thirst for knowledge would be enough to sort him there as well. 'I'll convince the hat to put me wherever it puts Hermione,' he thought as the sorting began.

They were both surprised to hear the hat yell " **Gryffindor!** " after staying on Hermione's head for more than a minute. Harry was also delighted. It meant that Hermione, despite all her insecurities, was really brave.

Harry wasn't surprised to hear Malfoy being sorted into Slytherin. He was somewhat surprised to hear the hat sending the two Indian twins to different houses.

When his turn came, he was only thinking 'Gryffindor, like Hermione.' The hat didn't seem to like the thought. It kept trying to convince Harry to go to Slytherin or Ravencalw, until it eventually agreed. ' _It's natural that you want to stay close to your betrothed,_ ' it told Harry before shouting " **Gryffindor!** "

Harry didn't pay much attention to it. He just filed the information to be checked at another time and happily joined Hermione at the Gryffindor table. None of them noticed the satisfied smile which momentarily flicked on the stern face of professor McGonagall. She felt like yelling "Yea! We've got both Potter and Granger!" but covered her smile with a hand, pretending to cough.

Lessons started the next day. Charms and Transfiguration seemed to be taught very seriously. Harry didn't care much for Herbology, though, despite the nice teacher. That evening, at dinner, he was invited to the headmaster's office.

Harry expected this, as James anticipated that Dumbledore would try to find out as much as he could about Harry and had prepared both Harry and Hermione, so that they would not let Dumbledore learn anything from them that they weren't ready to tell.

"Ah, Mr. Potter, do take a seat," the headmaster welcomed him into the office.

"Lemon drops?" he offered.

"No, thanks, sir." Harry couldn't be sure they wouldn't include some kind of potion. "Better safe than sorry" was something he was taught since early childhood.

"You look a lot like your late father," Dumbledore said, "only you have your mother's eyes."

"Some have already told me so," Harry responded.

"Who, may I ask?"

"My parents' old friends – Lord Sirius Black and Mr. Remus Lupin."

"I wasn't aware that you knew them," the headmaster commented. Harry just shrugged.

Dumbledore tried a different approach. "I thought your relatives would raise you, after your parents were killed."

"I was raised by my relatives. I have some distant relatives in France." Harry said it with a slightly exaggerated French accent.

"So, you grew up in France?"

"For a few years. I was then brought to Britain."

"Where in Britain?" Dumbledore couldn't stop himself from asking.

"At Potter residence, of course."

It was really frustrating for the headmaster. The boy seemed to give answers freely, yet he revealed no information. It was time for the ultimate weapon – Legilimency.

While asking about the lessons, he tried to penetrate Harry's mind. He found no barriers, as expected from such a young boy, but he landed in what looked like a deserted child's playground. Not knowing what to do next, he sat on a bench. It started sinking and he jumped off it hurriedly, before it sank into the ground and disappeared. He walked cautiously forward. A cobweb seemed to cross his way, hanging between two trees. He brushed it away carelessly only to find himself glued to it with additional strands adding themselves to the original one, starting to cocoon him. He barely managed to get out of it.

Dumbledore decided to retreat, before he would face additional unexpected dangers. Easier said than done. The walkway under his feet seemed to crumble like an egg-shell, and just like an egg – revealing a sticky liquid under it. He jumped from place to place, like jumping between stones in a river, not daring to step anywhere else, as the lawn also started looking very unstable. He managed to escape, just barely.

Harry seemed not to have noticed anything, still talking about the different plants he had seen in the greenhouse. The headmaster tried to slow his heavy breathing and calm his heartbeat before saying, "I'd like to meet you again. Would Saturday after dinner be fine with you?"

Harry shrugged, "Whenever..."

Dumbledore could only breathe freely after the door closed behind Harry, still wondering if the boy had natural Occlumancy in him or some rigorous training. It was really something to think about...

\/\/\/\/\/

First flying lesson made both Harry and Hermione excited. While both had a few chances to learn broom flying, mainly during their summer vacations in France, they didn't consider themselves good fliers. James and his friends didn't want to praise the children too much, or they would have known they were flying like the best professional Quidditch players or broom racers.

Harry knew that his father used to play Quidditch at Hogwarts. He hoped to be good enough by his third year to be selected for the house team. Hermione was very unsure of herself. Despite her training with Harry, she thought that most purebloods had much better training.

The school's old brooms weren't very cooperative. One even proved to be dangerous, as Neville, whose confidence was quite low, seemed unable to control it and the broom started acting weirdly, soaring higher and higher and rocking its rider like a wild horse. Both Harry and Hermione chased after him, trying to help the chubby boy who looked extremely frightened. It was just in time, as Neville finally lost his hold on the broom and started falling, only to be grabbed by the two in mid air. Harry helped him behind Hermione on her broom. As the boy finally settled, something fell out of his pocket.

"Oh, my Rememberall! Gran will be furious if I lost it," Neville panicked.

Harry didn't hesitate. He urged his broom into action, speeding towards the falling object. It was looking like both would crash to the ground, yet Harry grabbed it just before it reached ground and changed direction, going back to Hermione, who was slowly descending with Neville.

"That was the most formidable catch I've ever seen," they heard Professor McGonagall, who just happened to pass nearby. She excused Harry from the rest of the flying lesson and took him to her office, calling an older boy to join them.

"I've found you your seeker," she told the older boy.

Harry was surprised but content. Having been raised in Muggle environment he wasn't really a Quidditch fan, yet the stories he had heard from his father and his father's friends made this sport sound fabulous. He was glad to be able to play it and proud of becoming the youngest seeker ever.

A few days later, Harry received a letter with a handwriting he didn't recognize. It was also barely readable.

" _ **Dear Harry,**_

 _ **I know you have Friday afternoons free, so would you like to come and have a cup of tea with me around three? I've known your parents quite well and I'd like to get to know you.**_

 _ **Hagrid"**_

This was also expected. He already intended to get close with the friendly game-keeper, and he was sure that the headmaster also wanted Hagrid to become friendly with him, if only to get some information. He accepted, of course, but come Friday, he also took Hermione, Ron and Neville with him. This was sure to make Hagrid happy and frustrate the headmaster.

Hagrid really proved to be very friendly. He fussed over Harry, considering him a poor orphan, and was just too happy to meet his friends. Harry made sure not to let out that Hermione had been his friend long before Hogwarts. She was also aware of the need to keep it secret. Between the two of them, it was very easy to extract whatever information they wanted. It only took them three meetings to learn what was hidden under the forbidden corridor and what was guarding the entrance, as well as the way to go in without being harmed.

Harry wrote home regularly. He told Liz about his studies and the friends he made, including Hagrid, and about his new position as seeker. James found some different information in them. After tapping the letters with his wand and saying the activation phrase, a whole new letter appeared, telling him about Dumbledore's failed attempt at Legilimency, about the forbidden corridor, about the weird DADA teacher and about Snape's attitude.

Hermione's letters gave another point of view, and she also used the Marauders' method, informing James of attempted Legilimency against her as well. While her protection wasn't as elaborate, it consisted of a labyrinthine library sporting only three books in innumerable copies. No information could be extracted from her either.

James consulted with the other two Marauders. He didn't want to leave alone whatever danger lurked in the forbidden corridor, threatening Harry and his friends, yet Harry's letters assured him this was not the case. They still decided to check it out immediately after Halloween.

\/\/\/\/\/

Dumbledore didn't like the lack of progress he had with Harry. The child confused him. He acted openly like the best of the Gryffindors, answering each question innocently, yet no real information could be gotten from him. He was living in "Potter residence" located "just an apparition away from London" with his surrogate parents, Mr. DePoitiers and Liz. Harry was aware of the attack on the Potters at that fateful Halloween and of its results. He also knew about the existence of the Dursleys, but that was the limit of the information the headmaster could find. He didn't dare use Legilimency again on Harry, although he tried it on some of his friends. He did quite well with Ron, but the boy knew nothing of value. He also tried it with Neville and Seamus, finding some vast playgrounds in their minds and no way to reach any information. The Granger girl, who seemed to have a crush on Harry, was even more frustrating. The bookworm only had a large library in her mindscape, holding innumerable copied of "Hogwarts, a History" along with a book of household spells and another of muggle bedtime stories. He could hardly find his way out of there.

* * *

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	9. Halloween 91

**A.N.** Sorry for the delay. I found out the hard way that I can't port a new chapter from my phone or my tablet while on vacation. Had to return home to post it, a week later than intended.

* * *

 **9\. Halloween 91**

Encouraged by Harry, Hermione also tried to get into the Quidditch team. She proved very good in the tryouts.

"I can't yet put you in the team proper, being a firstie, but I'd like you to be our reserve chaser. It means that you should join our practices and be ready to step in if one of the chasers can't play," Oliver told her.

Hermione was content. She didn't mind the game, but staying close to Harry and flying together was really nice.

Harry proved to be a very good seeker, even when using the school brooms, yet Professor McGonagall thought her new star seeker deserved a better broom. She knew James could afford buying the best for his son, yet she wanted to do it herself. Harry was delighted to get a new Nimbus Two Thousand broomstick, even if it meant more rigorous training with the house team. He was quite proud to have been chosen and even happier that Hermione was proud of him.

\/\/\/\/\/

On Halloween morning, the first year Gryffindors had double charms, learning the "Wingardium Leviosa" levitation charm. Professor Flitwick divided the class into pairs for practising. Harry wanted to pair with Hermione, as usual, but the professor wanted to pair them with weaker students. Harry had to work with Seamus while Hermione ended up with Ron. None was content. Hermione kept reminding Ron of the correct pronunciation and hand movements to no avail. When she did it, she succeeded on first try, making Ron's disposition become even more sour.

"It's no wonder no one can stand her," Ron said to Harry as they pushed their way into the crowded corridor. "She's a nightmare, honestly."

Hermione knocked into Harry as she hurried past him. Harry caught a glimpse of her face and was startled to see that she was in tears.

"I think she heard you," he told Ron, quite annoyed.

"So?" said Ron, not looking even a bit uncomfortable. "She must've noticed she's got no friends."

Harry looked for her until he had to go to the next class, which Hermione failed to attend. Eventually he gave up, assuming that Hermione probably didn't want to be found, although he was quite worried about her.

On his way down to the Great Hall for the Halloween feast, Harry overheard Parvati Patil telling her friend Lavender that Hermione was crying in the girls' bathroom on the first floor and wanted to be left alone. As he reached the Great Hall he noticed that Hermione was still missing. He decided to look for her as soon as his grumbling stomach was quietened. He was just filling his plate when professor Quirrell ran in, announcing there was a troll in the dungeons.

While the prefects started herding the students to their common rooms, Harry slipped out of the Great Hall and sprinted to the girls' bathroom. His heart started beating faster when he heard a scream. Running into the bathroom he noticed Hermione trying to hide in the corner, while a mountain troll was moving its club carelessly, knocking down the stalls and breaking the sinks on the other wall.

There was only one spell that Harry could remember at the moment – the one they had practised that morning. " _Wingardium Leviosa!_ " he shouted with a swish and a flick, pointing at the troll's club. The club was plucked out of the troll's hand and floated up, way above its head. Before the troll could try to grab it again, Harry let the club fall on its head, stunning it a bit. He then repeated it two more times – floating the club as high as possible and then dropping it on the troll's head.

After the third time, the troll seemed to fall unconscious, breaking a few more sinks as it fell. Harry hurried to Hermione and hugged her tightly, silently letting her feel how much he cared for her. The girl just put her head on his chest and cried, only this time it wasn't out of hurt, but out of relief.

They were soon interrupted as Professor McGonagall came bursting into the room, closely followed by Snape, with Quirrell bringing up the rear. Quirrell took one look at the troll, let out a faint whimper, and sat quickly down on a toilet seat.

Professor McGonagall was looking at Harry and Hermione. Harry had never seen her look so angry.

"What on earth were you thinking of?" Professor McGonagall said, with cold fury in her voice. "You're lucky you weren't killed. Why aren't you in your dormitory?"

"Please, Professor McGonagall — he was looking for me."

"Miss Granger?!"

Hermione had managed to get to her feet.

"I was in the toilet, as I was not feeling well, and Harry came to take me to the dormitories, only the troll arrived first."

This wasn't the exact truth, but it was close enough.

"Hadn't he found me, I'd be dead now. Harry knocked it out with its own club. He didn't have time to come and fetch anyone. The troll was about to finish me off when he arrived."

"Miss Granger, if you're not hurt at all, you'd better get off to Gryffindor tower. Students are finishing the feast in their houses."

Professor McGonagall turned to Harry.

"Well, I still say you were lucky, but not many first year students could have taken on a full-grown mountain troll. You win Gryffindor ten points. Professor Dumbledore will be informed of this. You two may go now."

Before they even left the bathroom, Snape raised his wand at the wall and said _"Reparo!"_. The sinks started repairing themselves. Harry still noticed a large hole behind one of them, before it was sealed as the sink returned to its place.

The two hurried to their dorm. Harry was holding Hermione's hand tightly, as if to make sure not to lose her. She didn't seem to mind. She was actually thinking of her knight in shining armour who came to save her from the troll.

\/\/\/\/\/

Sirius and Remus came to visit the next weekend. James preferred to stay behind, unwilling to let Dumbledore find that he was still alive. While visits of friends and family were quite rare, they were not forbidden, and some magical families used to visit their first-year children regularly, at least during the first few months.

The weather was good, making most of the students and staff stay outside, soaking some rare sunshine. It made it easier for Harry, Hermione and their two visitors to reach the forbidden corridor without being noticed by anybody.

Harry and Hermione had already visited the three headed dog a few times and after some growling it also accepted Remus and Sirius, especially since the two were very good at scratching its heads at the right spots, based on personal experience. They didn't go any farther, though. This was clearly a trap or a test for somebody and they didn't want to interfere prematurely. They only cast several monitoring spells on the trap door under the dog. These would alert them and Harry to any intrusion.

"I have something for you," Sirius said before leaving. He put his hand in his pocket and took out two small hand-mirrors. "These can be used for private communication, just like the Muggle mobile phones. You tap the mirror with your wand and say the marauder name of the one you want to talk with. You know the names?"

"Sure! Prongs, Moony and Padfoot. How do you call Hermione?"

Sirius smiled mischievously. "We had several names in mind, but Kitty seemed just right for her. You are Snow."

Both children nodded. The names fit perfectly.

\/\/\/\/\/

Harry and Hermione didn't see Ron until the next week and didn't miss him at all. Well, Harry saw him snoring in bed, but that doesn't really count.

Monday morning, as they were going to the Great Hall for breakfast, Ron called after them, "Hey, wait for me!"

Harry was inclined to ignore Ron's call, but Hermione decided she would like to confront him. "He needs to start being responsible for his deeds," she said firmly.

Ron joined them a few seconds later. "Hi, mate. Haven't seen you since Halloween feast. Where have you been?" he asked Harry, ignoring Hermione completely.

"Well, after knocking down a troll, I just stayed with my friend Hermione. I also had some visitors during the weekend," Harry said as a matter of fact.

"Oh, drop it off! You couldn't have knocked down a troll!"

"Yes, he did," Hermione said forcefully. "The troll was threatening me and Harry came to my rescue."

Ron just ignored her. "You're too young and inexperienced to do anything with a troll except for running away from it."

Harry was really annoyed by Ron ignoring Hermione. "Ron, Hermione is my friend. If you want to be my friend then you should treat her nicely and listen to what she says."

Ron didn't seem to understand. "But... She's just a bookworm!"

"I'm a bookworm too. If you don't like bookworms then you can't be my friend. Goodbye!" Harry grabbed Hermione's hand and turned away, walking quite briskly to breakfast and ignoring Ron's mumbled protests.

"Harry, you don't have to give up your friends for me," Hermione told him once her breath calmed down again, after sitting at the table.

"Hermione, I've almost lost you to the troll because of him! I'm sorry I didn't shut his mouth immediately, yet I'll always choose you over anybody else!"

She smiled at him, feeling her eyes getting moist. "Harry, that's really nice of you, yet you can have other friends besides me."

"I have: Neville, Seamus, maybe even Dean. We both have some friends back home. I don't need a back-stabbing friend; I don't need someone greedy and inconsiderate as a friend. If he doesn't act nicely with you then he can't be my friend!"

Hermione just smiled tearfully at him, her heart swelling with some unidentified feelings.

\/\/\/\/\/

Dumbledore was not sure how he should act. Harry had shown great courage in knocking down a troll, saving his friend, and as a Headmaster, he should show some appreciation to the boy, yet that same boy frustrated him to no end. Well, some of the blame lay on that Weasley fool. Unlike his brothers, that boy seemed to have no talent, unless speed eating is considered one. After being carefully coached and motivated to become close friend with Harry, that boy just blew it. It was now time for damage control.

Harry was sitting in the Headmaster's office once again, looking forward to the Legilimency probe. He had practised and hopefully perfected a new defence.

"You've had quite an eventful Halloween, I've heard. Care to tell me about it?"

Harry shrugged. "It all started after charms. Ron was badmouthing Hermione, feeling bad for her being much better than him in every subject. Hermione heard it and was deeply hurt. She ran to a girl's bathroom and cried there for most of the day. When the troll came, I knew she didn't know about it and could be in danger, so I looked for her. Luckily, she wasn't attacked yet, although the troll was going to smash her shortly. I had to do something to save her – she's my friend since we came here. I knocked it down with its own club before the professors arrived."

"How could you knock it down? Do you know any spells for that?"

"I just used the one we were practising that morning – the levitation charm. I levitated its club and let it fall on its head repeatedly. Luckily, it worked, as I was too frightened to remember any other spell."

Harry felt the Legilimency probe and smiled internally. He had prepared a kaleidoscopic display of swirling colours and sounds for any intruder, which was sure to cause... interesting effects. A moment later he saw Dumbledore pale and hold his head in agony.

"Are you alright, sir?" he asked the old man, holding back his triumphant smile and showing concern instead.

The headmaster waved his hand in dismissal. "I'm alright, Harry. It's just I suddenly got a headache. We shall continue our conversation some other time, if you don't mind."

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	10. Christmas Break

_**A.N.** Back to normal schedule._

 **10\. Christmas Break 91**

Ron tried some more to reclaim his position as a friend of Harry Potter. Harry wasn't sure if it was Ron's will to come close to a "celebrity", or if it was due to Dumbledore's influence. He wasn't prone to forgetting Ron's behaviour and accepting him back as a friend. It was Hermione who convinced him, citing the old phrase, "Keep your friends close and your enemies closer."

"We know he can be used by others quite easily, having no moral backbone and no mental shields. It's safer if we keep him close, so we can supervise him. You don't have to be really close to him, just close enough for him to be satisfied," she explained.

"That's a very Slytherin way of thinking," Harry commented.

"The sorting hat considered putting me there, but being a Muggleborn made that less than ideal choice," she smirked at him.

"Well, it also considered putting me there, but eventually agreed to put me in Gryffindor, as I wanted." Harry frowned for a moment, trying to recall the exact wording. "It said it was natural for me to want to be close with my betrothed."

He didn't notice Hermione paling. "Who could that be?" she asked.

Harry shrugged. "I have no idea. I only knew you at the time and I still don't feel close to any other girl. I need to ask Dad when we go home."

"Sure! If there is any contract concerning you, it's just right that you know everything about it," Hermione said, trying not to show her shock.

"Well, Dad should know, but that's not really important right now. We both have a few years to grow before anything about marriage should concern us. Now, about Ron..."

Despite his reluctance, Harry let Ron resume his position as a friend, mainly due to Hermione's advice. Ron also joined them on the train, going home for Christmas. Harry faked being extremely tired and didn't cooperate when Ron tried to start a conversation about Quidditch. Ron eventually gave up and went looking for his other dorm-mates, to Harry's relief.

\/\/\/\/\/

Harry didn't give any further thought to the betrothal, considering it something that would only affect him in the far future. Hermione reminded him to ask about it as soon as they returned home, though, and Harry didn't want to disappoint her.

It was only on the second day of the Christmas vacation that Harry found James sitting idly in his study, looking like he was day-dreaming.

"Dad, I have a question," Harry said, startling his father.

"What is it?"

"You see, the sorting hat considered different houses for me while I wanted only Gryffindor. It eventually agreed, stating it was natural for me to want to be close to my betrothed."

"Betrothed? I know nothing about such thing. I'm sure my parents would have told me if they knew of any ancient pending betrothal. Are you sure?" James sounded alarmed.

"That's what I heard," Harry insisted.

James thought for a moment. He then grimaced. "This can only be resolved by a visit to the ministry. Are you really sure?"

Harry only nodded.

"Well then... We shall go tomorrow. Just remember to call me Jacques during our visit there. I still want nobody to know I'm alive, nobody who doesn't already know."

"Sure, Dad."

James was quite worried about some unknown betrothal. He remembered his own anxiety when telling his parents about his evolving relationship with Lily. He had feared they would tell him he was already promised in contract betrothal. His fears had been unfounded. His parents were glad for him and assured him that no such contract existed, that it was the long standing Potter policy to marry of love. His father even said that Potter men usually found love quite early and married young. Was this a betrothal they had been unaware of?

They went to the Ministry the next morning. James used a glamour charm to look a bit older and wore contacts, instead of his normal eyeglasses. He asked for the marriages and betrothals register. It was a small office with many large ledgers filling every shelf. A single witch worked there, not seeming very busy.

"My charge, Mr. Harry Potter, informed me that during the Hogwarts sorting he was told that he was betrothed. Can you verify this?"

The old witch responsible for that office nodded reassuringly. "Do you have any more details?"

"I only know that his late parents were not aware of any pending betrothal and I know of no such contract signed since."

"Very well. It would take a few minutes to find that contract, if it really exists," she said, pointing to an uncomfortable bench for them to wait on.

It took her more than a few minutes, though, as she had to look through several folders, each containing betrothals signed during a specific year.

"I believe I've found it," she said almost half an hour later.

"Who's responsible for it?" James asked. If it was Dumbledore, he was going to skin him alive.

"Why, it's Mr. Potter himself!" she exclaimed, looking somewhat surprised.

"Are you sure? He's still under age."

She checked it again and smiled kindly. "This is not a signed betrothal, as is common in our society. It is a promise made by both parties with full intention of keeping it, and sealed by their own magic. It is quite rare, especially as they were both very young at the time."

"So, who is he betrothed to?"

"One Hermione Jean Granger, a few months older than he is. Do you know her?"

"I do," Harry finally spoke. "When did it take place?"

She looked at the folder once again. "My, my – so young! You were only five years old then! I think that is a kind of first."

James was not happy about it. He tried to remember what had happened that year. Well, he had finally got together with Liz, marrying her soon after, but what had triggered it? He needed to think some more. He finally remembered the children talking about love and marriage, just as Liz had taken his hand and cuddled to his side. It seemed so innocent... Could that be the promise?

"Can you give us the full details?" he asked, trying to put some French accent into his voice.

"Of course Mr...?

"DePoitiers, Jacques DePoitiers. We moved here for Harry's sake."

She nodded her understanding. They left the office a few minutes later, holding a parchment with all the details: "Betrothal between Harry James Potter and Hermione Jean Granger, verbal mutual promise sealed magically at the tenth of November, 1985. To be fulfilled after both reach adulthood."

James was still very anxious, yet he noticed that Harry had a small smile on his lips. "Are you OK with this?" he asked his son.

Harry shrugged. "I feared it was someone else. Now I'm fine. I can't think of having anybody else as my partner for life."

"But you're too young to know! I've had several girlfriends before settling with Lily and each time I was sure that the one I was dating was the right one for me. How can you be so sure you won't change your mind?"

Harry smiled. "We've been a couple for more than five years now, and I feel our bond is getting stronger with time. I don't believe I could ever create a stronger bond with somebody else." There was so much conviction in his voice that James found it impossible to argue.

As soon as they were back, Harry went to visit Hermione.

"We've just been at the ministry, checking my betrothal," he told her.

Hermione tensed at once. "So? Who is she?" she asked, not really wanting to hear the answer. Whoever this betrothed might be, she was the one who would take Harry away from her.

Harry took her face in his hands, forcing her to look straight into his eyes. "Her name is Hermione Jean Granger. I..."

She didn't let him finish. She grabbed his head and kissed him straight on the lips. Harry was utterly surprised. He knew she could be emotional at times, but still... and they had never kissed like this... Well, it was nice and it gave him a very good feeling...

He responded, kissing her back with slightly open lips. Her tongue slipped in, caressing his tongue before he returned the favour. They eventually stopped, both red with excitement, embarrassment and some unknown feeling beating in their hearts.

"Do you remember, when we were still in kindergarten, that we promised to marry each other?" he finally spoke.

"I do. It's still one of my sweetest memories."

"Well – it was magically accepted as a betrothal. Now you'll **have** to marry me."

Hermione pretended to think hard. "You'll still have to court me just as if we weren't promised. I won't accept anything less."

"Only the best for my lady," Harry beamed at her.

It was some time before Hermione calmed down enough to think properly again. "Shouldn't we tell my parents?" she asked. She then thought some more. "I'm not sure they'll be happy for us being tied to each other so young, though. They each dated several others before coming together. Maybe we should not tell them yet? There's still time until... When do we need to fulfil the promise?"

"After adulthood, which is only after I turn seventeen. We still have more than five years to go."

"That's barely enough time to court a lady," Hermione informed him with mischief in her voice.

"I promise to do my best, Milady," Harry said solemnly, before they both started giggling and then laughing.

"What are you two laughing about?" they heard Jean's voice.

"We're just happy!" Hermione answered, surprising Jean.

'Isn't she too young to find happiness by just being with a boy?' she wondered.

\/\/\/\/\/

James also decided not to mention the betrothal to the Grangers. He knew this was an alien concept to them and it might upset them. He knew that he himself was not quite fine with the idea. At least Harry seemed content. Both couples of parents really had nothing to do until the children reached maturity, and even then – it would be up to the two only. James even considered not telling Liz, but he eventually told her, unable to keep a secret from his beloved wife.

"I believe we heard them promise to get married," she said. "It was during that barbecue visit at the Grangers, shortly before you first hugged me."

James needed a few seconds to recall the scene. He then smiled tenderly. "Well, it seems like two couples were formed during that visit."

"Yes," she smiled back. "Isn't that wonderful?"

\/\/\/\/\/

Both families spent Christmas together. They used the Floo to go to the castle in France, where a huge Christmas tree had been prepared with presents for each and every member of both families. The Grangers enjoyed the large library more than the rest of the castle. It was clear where Hermione got her love for books from. Although most of the books of magical nature were protected to be unreadable by muggles, there were still enough books, both magical and mundane, which were accessible to them. They could spend months in that library and never get bored.

The children were also able to exercise their animagus forms. This was especially welcome for Harry, as he was able to freely fly as Snow within the boundaries of the castle, and if soaring high enough – even farther away, something he couldn't do at home and only barely at school.

Soon it was the new year and then Harry and Hermione headed back to Hogwarts, more aware of the connection they shared and quite pleased with it.

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	11. Fake Stone

**11\. Fake Stone**

The forbidden corridor continued holding their curiosity. They were visiting Fluffy regularly, usually bringing some food as well and sometimes just petting, scratching and hugging the three headed dog, yet nothing seemed out of order. The monitoring spells cast on the trap door under the dog, intended to alert the marauders and Harry to any intrusion, remained inactive.

Harry and Hermione had some other occupations, as expected. They continued getting the top grades on all subjects, even potions, despite Snape's negative attitude. Harry was actually getting tired of the potion professor, but James insisted he should do nothing yet. Harry obeyed, although he wasn't happy about it.

Both were also practising their animagus forms as much as they could. It was easier for Hermione, who could just change into her Kneazle form in any secluded place and stroll around, indistinguishable from the other pets brought by the students. Some girls even seemed to like Kitty and looked for her after meals, offering her some remains to entice her closer.

It was more difficult for Snow to practise. He usually did it under night cover, using the owlery as an excuse. The invisibility cloak which he had received as a Christmas present, was quite helpful. It was waiting for him on his bed when returning after the new year. An unsigned note stated that it used to be his father's. James's reaction to this was, "Had he given it back on time, Lily might have still been alive."

Harry was also doing well in his Quidditch playing, helping his team win every game, as well as in his studies. He and Hermione were getting the highest scores in every exam, tying for the first place in their classes. James was very proud of his son, despite some teasing from his Marauder friends.

The term was approaching its end. They were relaxing in the late spring sun after their last exam when Harry felt the monitoring alarm on the third floor corridor. His mirror buzzed a few seconds later. He moved aside, so nobody but Hermione could notice what he was doing, and tapped the mirror, accepting the call. It was James.

"Harry, Padfoot and I are coming to Hogwarts to check the third floor. Moony can't come. It's been a full moon last night, so he isn't well yet." It was the "all business" tone that Harry knew too well.

"Do you want me to wait for you anywhere?" Harry asked.

James thought for a moment. "I don't want you to be involved in any way, yet we may need Snow's abilities and maybe Kitty's as well. Wait for us near that door on the third floor but **don't do anything**. Stay under the cloak, if possible."

Harry rushed to his dorm room to take the invisibility cloak. Hermione followed him a part of the way, until she found a point where she could transform. Kitty then ran to the gates, to wait for the visitors.

It was a matter of seconds, so it seemed, before James and Sirius materialized in front of the gates. Sirius transformed into a big black dog and James used some glamour charms to look a lot younger, just as he had been when Harry was born.

They both followed Kitty into the castle, that looked almost abandoned. Most students were enjoying the sunny day, relaxing from their last exams, while most teachers were cocooned in their offices, trying to grade those exams.

They met nobody until they reached the third floor corridor. Padfoot and Kitty were aware of Harry's presence nearby, due to their enhanced sense of smell. They made sure nobody else was nearby before transforming back into their human form and opening the door only to find Fluffy asleep as a charmed harp was playing some soothing music.

"What's the plan?" Hermione asked.

"A plan?" Sirius looked bewildered.

"You surely didn't come here without a plan," she said.

"Well..." James sounded apologetic, "We thought to follow whoever went in and confront him..." It sounded lame when put into words, and he knew it. The Marauders' mind was Moony, but he wasn't available for this task, so...

"That doesn't sound like a good plan to me," Hermione said, sounding more mature than the two adults. She thought for a moment. "Can you perform the disillusionment charm, making you invisible?"

Both nodded.

"Can you cast it on us as well?"

Another nod was the reply.

"Will it hold even if we transform?"

Sirius shrugged. James thought for a moment. "We've never tried it, but theoretically, it should hold, although I'd hate to find out at the wrong time."

"Cast it on me!" Hermione stood straight, like a soldier at an inspection.

James cast the spell. Hermione shimmered and turned practically invisible. Harry could only see her outline faintly because he knew where to look. She transformed a moment later. Harry noticed her outline change. The adults didn't seem to see it at all.

"Have you transformed?" James asked.

"Mew!" he heard a reply coming from much lower than expected.

"Please remove it now," Hermione asked a moment later.

Visible again, she made a plan. "I think Harry should go first as a Phoenix and check what's under the trap door. Once he tells us, we can plan further."

James cast the spell. Harry transformed and James opened the trap door. It was dark below it. Snow let himself fall and started flying as soon as his wings were free to unfold while James and Hermione cast "Lumos" to let him see what was below. There was a large plant under the trap door. It could serve as a nice cushion, except that Snow recognized it as Devil's Snare, a plant that could easily kill the unaware.

He had not exercised his ability for fire-travel until then. He only tried it once before, but trying to fly up through that small trap door didn't seem attractive. Without even needing to think about it, he flashed to the room above and changed into Harry, still invisible.

"There's a Devil's Snare below. You can land on it safely, but you need to cast a strong light to prevent it from catching you. Maybe I should just take you with me... Hold my legs!"

James and Sirius bent down to hold a leg each, holding Hermione with their other hand. Harry transformed and flashed directly to the room below, landing far enough from the plant to be out of its reach.

Hermione didn't hesitate. She cast a fire spell on the plant. "If anybody wants to come now, nothing will cushion the fall," she said.

"This way," Harry said, pointing down a stone passageway, which was the only way forward.

All they could hear, apart from their footsteps, was the gentle drip of water trickling down the walls. The passageway sloped downward, and Harry was reminded of Gringotts. With an unpleasant jolt of the heart, he remembered the dragons said to be guarding vaults in the wizards' bank. He hoped not to meet any this time.

They reached the end of the passageway and saw a brilliantly lit chamber there, its ceiling arching high above them. It was full of small, jewel-bright birds, fluttering and tumbling all around the room. On the opposite side of the chamber was a heavy wooden door.

Not taking chances, James shot a wide-area stunner, making all the birds fall down. As he took a second look at them, they were all keys.

Sirius was already at the door on the other side of the room. The door was locked and no opening charm would affect it.

Hermione looked at the hundreds of keys, now scattered on the floor. "It may take hours to find the right key. Can't we just blast the door away?"

Sirius smiled. "I like the way you're thinking! Brilliantly a Marauder!"

He took a few steps back from the door, pointed his wand and uttered "Bombarda!"

An explosion was heard and the door now sported a large hole in its centre. With its main beams destroyed, many of the remaining planks fell down, opening the doorway completely.

The next chamber was so dark that they couldn't see anything at all, but as they stepped into it, light suddenly flooded the room to reveal an astonishing sight.

They were standing on the edge of a huge chessboard, behind the black chess pieces, which were all taller than they were and carved from what looked like black stone. Facing them, way across the chamber, were the white pieces. Behind the white pieces they could see another door.

"I believe we're supposed to play a game to pass through," James said, "but I'd rather take a shortcut."

He waved his wand at the chess set, chanting a spell. The whole set shrunk to the size of a regular one, posing no threat to the humans. They walked swiftly to the next door and Sirius pushed it open.

A disgusting smell filled their nostrils, making all of them pull their robes up over their noses.

Eyes watering, Harry saw, flat on the floor in front of them, a troll even larger than the one he had tackled, out cold with a bloody lump on its head.

"I'm glad somebody spared us fighting that troll," James said as they all reached the next door. It opened easily and they saw a table with seven differently shaped bottles standing on it in a line.

They stepped over the threshold, and immediately a fire sprang up behind them in the doorway. It wasn't ordinary fire either; it was purple. At the same instant, black flames shot up in the doorway leading onward. They were trapped.

Hermione seized a roll of parchment lying next to the bottles. "There's a logic puzzle in here. I know the answer, but I'd rather we use a different way out."

"I can take you there, just as I did with the trap-door," Harry said.

"It may be dangerous there," James commented. It was clear that he didn't like endangering the kids.

"I'll check it first, then. I only need you to make me invisible again," Harry said.

"No. You shouldn't go there alone," James insisted. "I'll go with you. Hermione can stay with Sirius here."

Both Sirius and Hermione groaned, but it was no time for arguments. Sirius knew that James was a better dueller and if Harry needed to be defended, James could do a better job.

Harry transformed. James grabbed Snow's tail and then disillusioned them both. A flash of fire was all that could be seen next.

They reappeared in the next room. It was clearly the last, as there was no other exit except for the door to the room they had just left behind. Their arrival didn't go undetected, though. A flash of fire in a room lighted by only a few candles is bound to be noticed.

Professor Quirrell turned around, looking for the source of the disturbance. James moved silently, glad that his muggle trainers didn't make any noise, unlike the shoes most wizards liked, using solid leather soles which were never silent. Harry transformed back and moved to the other side.

Quirrell had noticed something and fired a dark spell. It struck where Harry had initially landed, far enough from either Harry or James.

None of them moved. Quirrell looked around once again and then turned back to continue what he'd been doing before. He was standing in front of a large cage. A smaller cage was suspended in mid air inside it, holding what looked like a fist-sized blood-red stone. Harry, having grown among muggles, recognized the material immediately. It was a plastic "stone". He had owned several like it when he'd been smaller, as parts of different games and toys for children. A wizard wouldn't recognize it for what it was, as plastic had never made its way into the wizarding world, except for some eyeglass frames.

Quirrell was trying different spells to either open the door-less cage, summon the smaller cage or its contents to him or reach there in any other way. Nothing seemed to work.

Harry had expected to see Snape there, Finding Quirrell was a surprise, yet he didn't like that man either. His stuttering made him useless as a teacher and Harry had a feeling his turban was hiding something.

The flames in the door-frame flickered momentarily. Harry noticed a dog-shaped shadow passing through the flame. Quirrell turned around once again, still unable to find anything. He shot the "incarceus" spell, sweeping his wand. Ropes shot out of his wand. Harry was closest and couldn't dodge on time. The ropes engulfed him and he fell on the floor – an invisible lump covered with ropes. Both adults managed to dodge.

Quirrell stepped to the ropes covered figure. His hands moved around, trying to feel the person tied there. His fingers touched Harry's face and he retraced his hand as if burned. Harry looked around wildly to see where Quirrell had gone, and saw him hunched in pain, looking at his fingers – they were blistering before his eyes.

"It's the boy!" he heard a hissing sound coming from within the turban. "Let me see him!"

Quirrell reached up and began to unwrap his turban until it fell away. Quirrell's head looked strangely small without it. Then he turned slowly on the spot.

Harry would have screamed, but he couldn't make a sound. Where there should have been a back to Quirrell's head, there was a face, the most terrible face Harry had ever seen. It was chalk white with glaring red eyes and slits for nostrils, like a snake.

The eyes looked at the seemingly empty bundle of ropes. "I know it's him. Make him visible!"

As soon as Quirrell started turning to point his wand at Harry, he was hit with two overpowered stunners and fell on his face, barely missing Harry. Another spell removed the ropes from Harry. A moment later they were all visible again. James took Quirrell's wand and searched him for any additional weapons. Sirius tied Quirrell with heavy ropes, like Harry had been tied before, and sent another powerful stunner at him, to be on the safe side.

Harry, as Snow, flashed to the other room and brought Hermione, who was surprised to find Quirrell there, expecting to find Snape.

"Can we take that plastic stone now?" Harry asked.

Hermione blasted a few bars of the outer cage and stepped in. She uttered another spell, making the inner cage fall down. The plastic "stone" slipped out between its bars. Hermione cast some spells on it, making sure it was safe to touch, and then took it in her hand. She turned it around. There was an inscription on the bottom: "Made in China".

After a good laugh, Snow took them all back to the corridor of the third floor. James used a spell to make himself look translucent like a ghost while Harry returned to normal. They marched to the headmaster's office, floating Quirrell in front of them. They collected Professor McGonagall on the way. She was frightened at seeing James that way, but he only winked at her and put a finger on his lips. She didn't need any more to understand this was just another Marauder Prank, in a way.

They had to wait for almost an hour, before Dumbledore returned to school, looking worried and tired. Seeing the welcome committee in his office made him even more worried.

"What's the meaning of this?" he asked, looking at them all without the normal twinkle in his eyes.

Sirius replied. "Harry had told me about the third floor corridor, so I set a few alarm wards on the trap door under Fluffy. He's quite cute, by the way. He's very kind and quite lovable." Dumbledore frowned at that.

"The wards triggered today. I came immediately. James followed me, as you can see. We found your defence professor harbouring the terrorist known as Voldemort in his head, trying to steal that fake resurrection stone."

"Fake?"

"Of course!" Sirius let Harry throw him the stone. He turned it in his fingers to show Dumbledore. "Made in China? Really..."

Dumbledore was livid. His trusted professor was owned by Voldemort! His defences proven worthless! His precious treasure a fake! That didn't sit well with the Great Leader of the Light, yet he could do nothing to save his reputation, so it seemed. Sirius and Minerva were sitting on opposing sides of the room and James's ghost seemed to stand protectively in front of the children, who looked quite amused now.

Sirius felt he should put the last straw now. "You probably know that I work as a part-time Auror. I've already let my superior know of this," he pointed at Quirrell, "and I'm expected to take him into custody."

Dumbledore looked at the prisoner who was lain on the floor and noticed his charred fingers. "What happened to him?" he asked.

"He touched Harry," Sirius shrugged. "He should have known better."

Dumbledore turned the prisoner around, noticing the other face on the back of his head.

"What about that?" he asked.

"I'm sure the unspeakables will have a field day with that," Sirius said.

Dumbledore badly needed a change of subject. "Why are the children here?" he asked.

Sirius smiled. "I needed somebody to help me with Fluffy and that logic puzzle was actually beyond me..."

They were getting ready to take Quirrell to the ministry, using the Floo. Minerva had already prepared the announcement for Albus to read to the school and Sirius was already holding the Floo powder, when the Headmaster spoke to James for the first time. "James, I'm really sorry for the fate that had befallen you and Lily."

James, who was currently walking towards the door, escorting the children out, turned to face Dumbledore. "It didn't need to be that fate. We could have used another hideout, much more protected, if you didn't insist. Why did you?"

Dumbledore paled. "I had my reasons. I don't think it's wise to speak of them in current company," he pointed to the children with his bearded chin.

James didn't accept this. "I've already told them everything. Harry is entitled to know why he suffered this fate just as much as I am."

"He's still too young!" Albus insisted.

James turned around and left with the children, not giving Dumbledore another glance, just as Sirius disappeared in the green flames with his cargo.

'Nothing seems to go according to my plan,' Albus thought, while his deputy was thinking, 'What is the old man up to now?'

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	12. Summer 92

**12\. Summer 92**

"My mother wants you to come and visit with us for the last week of the summer vacation," Ron told Harry.

"Thank her on my behalf, but I already have my summer full," Harry answered politely.

"What do you plan doing this summer?" Ron acted as if nothing could compare with visiting his family.

"We have some family in France and we're going to visit there. We shall probably go to the seaside as well and take some trips to a few interesting places and museums."

"But... you're an orphan!" Ron blurted in his usual delicacy.

"Well, I was raised by Jacques and Eloise DePoitiers. They are practically my parents and they love me very much. I miss them and their children while at school."

"Oh..."

Neville also wanted Harry to visit. "My Gran says that your parents and mine were good friends and she would really like you to visit. She wrote to me that she intends to send an official invitation to your guardians. Will that be alright with you?"

"I think that should be fine, although I can only visit during the first or the last week of vacation, as we're going to be in France most of the time."

"I'll tell my Gran to send the invitation as soon as I see her, then."

"Maybe she'd like to invite the whole family? It would be nicer that way, I believe."

Neville smiled. "I'm sure she will."

James was a bit reluctant to visit Longbottom Manor. He had some memories of the place which were now quite painful. He had been a good friend of Frank Longbottom since childhood, although Frank had never been a Marauder, being too serious to take part in such mischief. His wife, Alice, had also been a good friend of Lily since first year. Learning of their fate had been very painful. James also knew Frank's mother. He was sure she would recognize him immediately. Still, he could never refuse Lady Augusta Longbottom.

They Floo'ed to Longbottom Manor. Harry took Colette with him while Liz took Charles. James arrived last. Lady Augusta greeted them as they arrived. She only needed one glance at "Jacques DePoitiers".

"James! Is that really you?"

"Yes, Lady Augusta, it's really me, though I'd like to keep it a secret for the time being."

The old lady looked suddenly tearful. She hugged James tightly. "Oh, James, I was so sorry to hear about..." Her expression suddenly turned severe. "What happened to Lily?"

"I wish I could save her," he said sombrely, He then shook his head, as if getting rid of the past. "Yet I think you'd like to meet Liz, who helped me with Harry at that difficult time and whom I finally fell in love with."

Once the shock of finding James alive had dissipated, it was a pleasant visit. Lady Augusta spent some time talking to Harry, finding him better mannered than his father at that age. She then let the children enjoy themselves while she stayed with the adults.

"I didn't know he was your real father," Neville said.

"You never really asked, but it is a secret that Dad wants to keep for as long as needed, as he believes some forces are not as trustworthy as they seem."

"You mean Dumbledore?" Neville wasn't as slow as some teachers liked to believe.

"Yes, and maybe some others as well. I know you and your Gran will keep this secret."

Colette enjoyed the flower beds around the manor, which Neville was proud to show. Charles was too young to appreciate them. He just rolled on the lawn and chased some butterflies, enjoying himself nicely.

\/\/\/\/

The Grangers used to take vacations in France every other summer even before they got to know the Potters. With open invitations and direct Floo connections, they could afford spending much longer periods in France. The Grangers loved the beaches most. It took them a few days to get some sun-tan, spending limited time in the sun and using protective sun lotion, and then they would spend most of their mornings on the beach and some of the afternoons.

The summer Harry turned twelve was no exception.

They spent the first three weeks at the Riviera, enjoying the nice weather and the warm sea. The beach was quite crowded, but as the Grangers opted for the cloth-free beach, it wasn't overly so.

"Don't you like it here?" Hermione asked turning around with her arms open, as if embracing the whole world.

Harry felt a bit self-conscious under the circumstances. As he was approaching puberty, seeing naked women was affecting him in ways he didn't understand, and he was most affected by Hermione's blossoming body, which was turning curvy and started filling in the right places. He thought she was looking marvellous, yet his physical reaction to her sight embarrassed him.

"I like it here, especially since we are together," he said, trying hard to make his body behave.

Hermione found it quite amusing, at least while the adults weren't near. She actually enjoyed the effect she had on Harry.

They moved to the castle for Harry's birthday and stayed there for most of August, as the Mediterranean beaches were becoming too hot and too crowded. They still found a nude beach less than an hour's drive from the castle. It lacked the fine sand, and the water was quite a bit cooler, yet it stayed relatively uncrowded throughout August.

The castle also provided additional entertainment. It had an indoor pool, very usable during cold or rainy days which were more abundant in northern France. It soon became a cloth-free area as well. There was also the large library at the castle. It had thousands of books, probably more than the Hogwarts library, and nothing was restricted.

Hermione liked the library best. "Can we go to the library now?" became her identifying phrase, making them all laugh.

She sometimes came to the library straight after visiting the beach or the pool, wearing only her beach-dress, which was quite translucent. Harry enjoyed accompanying her. Whenever the books were starting to bore him, he could look at Hermione. She was never boring.

\/\/\/\/\/

"We must return home tomorrow," James sighed. "The kids need to buy their school supplies. Colette is starting school as well, you know."

"And our patients are already waiting," Dave added.

They returned home for the last week of August. A day later they went shopping together in Diagon Alley for the new school year. James didn't come, refraining from any public places where wizards were abundant. Liz went with the children, along with Dave and Jean.

It was a sunny day. The street was full of shoppers, the shops were doing great business and so did the peddlers, selling mainly sweets for the children and cold drinks for all.

"Maybe we should leave the bookshop last? It would take us the longest and would burden us the most," Hermione suggested. Harry agreed wholeheartedly. Hermione's love for books was no secret.

They arrived at the book-shop after buying all the other items on their lists. Liz shrunk it all to fit in her and Jean's purses. As they approached the Flourish and Blotts store they saw it was crowded, with many witches trying to get in. A large banner stretched across the upper part of window gave them all the explanations they needed:

 _ **GILDEROY LOCKHART**_

 _ **will be signing copies of his autobiography**_

 _ **MAGICAL ME**_

 _ **today 12:30P.M. to 4:30P.M.**_

"Harry!" they heard a voice calling. Harry grimaced. He had enough of Ron during school term. Couldn't he be left alone during vacations?

Hermione squeezed his hand in support as Ron approached. "Hi, mate. My parents are already inside. Ginny is starting Hogwarts this year and Mum is very excited for her, especially with this Lockhart guy signing his books." He finally seemed to notice Hermione who was standing shoulder-to-shoulder with Harry. "Hi, Herms, nice to see you."

It was not the right way to address Hermione, and he should have already known that. Hermione smiled too sweetly, "Hi, Ronnikies. Care for some spider soup?" Her free hand was holding her French wand and some ten spiders suddenly appeared on Ron's trousers and shirt, climbing to his crotch. Ron looked down and paled at once. He then bolted out of the crowd, running madly towards The Leaky Cauldron while trying to remove the spiders at the same time.

"They will disappear in another minute," Hermione said calmly. "Next time, he should address me correctly." Harry nodded his agreement.

Without his famous scar, now healed, Harry was able to escape undue attention. He was appalled by the man in colourful robes and too wide a smile who was signing the books. Hermione and Harry collected the books in their list, frowning at the many books by Lockhart, and joined the queue at the checkout. Mrs. Weasley, standing in line a few places in front of them, noticed him, though, and tried to hug him as if he was her lost child. Liz had to intervene, as Harry seemed to choke in that hug. "Please let go of my son!" Liz said firmly.

Molly released Harry and looked at Liz with confusion. "Your son? I've heard he's an orphan, and I've known his mother."

Liz rolled her eyes. "Harry is my adopted son and I've been raising him since he was a toddler."

This piqued Molly's curiosity. She started a conversation with Liz, not paying much attention to anything else, while her husband paid for their purchases. Harry looked around, noticing Draco Malfoy and his father nearby. Draco seemed anxious to leave, but Lucius was looking around, as if searching for something. Eventually he set his eyes on Mr. Weasley, who was trying to pack all his purchases. With five sets of Lockhart books, it was quite a bundle.

Lucius stepped closer and started taunting Arthur Weasley. As Arthur got angry, Harry noticed a small book that Lucius slipped into the pile of books inside the cauldron that Ginny was holding. Harry sensed it was something dark and dangerous. Draco stayed silently aside, looking as if he'd rather be anywhere but there at the moment.

As soon as the book was hidden in the cauldron, Lucius left, throwing another snide remark. Arthur breathed heavily, trying to regain his calm and then moved to pack the books from the cauldron.

"Stop!" Harry said.

Arthur looked confused. "Why should I stop? I need to pack it somehow to take it home, don't you think?"

Harry pointed his French wand at the suspect book. "I don't think you've bought this."

Arthur wanted to take a closer look, yet Harry's wand came in the way. "Don't touch it! I can feel it has some very dark magic inside." He levitated the book so Arthur could take a closer look without touching it.

"I don't know what it is. I certainly don't need it," Arthur said a moment later.

Liz was already aware of the situation. She was also sensing the dark magic embedded in the book

"Allow me," she said politely. As Harry kept the book floating in the air, Liz encased the small book in a golden protective shield and then conjured a cloth bag. Harry released the book, letting it fall into the bag, and Liz tied it securely closed.

"My husband used to be an auror before we met. He's sure to know how to handle this," she said.

Arthur seemed quite bewildered about this, and Molly was also confused. Liz invited the whole group to have some ice-cream before they parted.

When back home, James cast some diagnostic spells on the book and frowned deeply. He then went to the backyard, dug a deep hole and put the book at the bottom. A quick casting later, a fire was dancing in the hole and a loud shriek sounded as some dark smoke escaped from the book, vanishing in the evening breeze. James waited until the fire died. He then collected the ashes by magic and put them into a conjured paper bag, which he promptly took out to the nearest garbage bin. He didn't want any remnants of that dark object to stay near his family.

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	13. Dobby's Warning

**13\. Dobby's Warning**

 _(Some of Dobby's conversation is taken verbatim from the second book)_

The next day was a sunny and warm day. Harry and Hermione spent it reading and playing in the Potter's backyard, which was larger than the Granger's. Being surrounded by tall hedges also allowed the children to practise their animagus forms a bit, although Harry couldn't really fly as Snow. It wasn't big enough for that, but it was good enough for stretching his wings.

Hermione was also practising a somewhat different transformation, a way to keep her heightened animal senses while still retaining her human form. It was something Sirius had mentioned during the summer but was unable to instruct her or Harry on.

Harry joined her. While not widely known, the phoenix also has very acute senses of sound, smell and vision. Based on his own experience and on what he had read about other animals, Harry was sure that a phoenix could see better than an eagle, during daylight, and almost as well as an owl when in the dark; identify smells at least as well as a dog and hear like a cat.

Practising their sense of smell, they suddenly sensed a foreign being in the garden. Harry followed to where it came from – somewhere among the rose bushes. He thought he saw two big eyes looking at him, but they disappeared as he blinked. He wasn't even sure if he really saw them or only imagined.

It was much later, as he was getting ready for the night, when he found a house-elf standing near his bed. The elf was wearing what looked like an old pillowcase instead of normal clothes and looked quite thin.

"Harry Potter!" said the elf. "So long has Dobby wanted to meet you, sir… Such an honour it is…"

"Thank you," said Harry. "Who are you?"

"Dobby, sir. Just Dobby. Dobby the house-elf."

"I know you are a house-elf, but who is your master?"

"Dobby is really sorry, sir, but Dobby is not allowed to answer this question."

It was clear to Harry that he would get no answer to this.

"Is there any particular reason you're here?"

"Oh, yes, sir," said Dobby earnestly. "Dobby has come to tell you, sir… it is difficult, sir… Dobby wonders where to begin…"

"Sit down," said Harry politely, pointing at the bed.

To his horror, the elf burst into tears.

" _S-sit down_!" it wailed. " _Never… never ever…_ "

"I'm sorry," Harry said, "I didn't mean to offend you or anything –"

"Offend Dobby!" the elf choked. "Dobby has never been asked to sit down by a wizard – like an _equal_ –"

"You can't have met many decent wizards," said Harry, trying to cheer him up.

Dobby shook his head. Then, without warning, he leaped up and started banging his head furiously on the window frame, shouting, " _Bad_ Dobby! _Bad_ Dobby!"

"Don't – what are you doing?" Harry asked, springing up and pulling Dobby back onto the bed

"Dobby had to punish himself, sir," said the elf, who had gone slightly cross-eyed. "Dobby almost spoke ill of his family, sir…"

"Do they know you're here?" Harry asked curiously.

Dobby shuddered.

"Oh, no, sir, no… Dobby will have to punish himself most grievously for coming to see you, sir. Dobby will have to shut his ears in the oven door for this. If they ever knew, sir –"

"But won't they notice if you shut your ears in the oven door?"

"Dobby doubts it, sir. Dobby is always having to punish himself for something, sir. They lets Dobby get on with it, sir. Sometimes they reminds me to do extra punishments…"

"I don't think that's the right way to treat house elves," Harry said seriously.

"The family will never set Dobby free… Dobby will serve the family until he dies, sir…"

Harry stared.

"Can't anyone help you? Can't I?"

Almost at once, Harry wished he hadn't spoken. Dobby dissolved again into wails of gratitude.

"Please, stop. I don't want you to cry," Harry said.

"Harry Potter asks if he can help Dobby… Dobby has heard of your greatness, sir, but of your goodness, Dobby never knew…"

Harry, who was feeling distinctly hot in the face, said, "Whatever you've heard about my greatness is a load of rubbish."

"Harry Potter is humble and modest," said Dobby reverently, his orb-like eyes aglow. "Harry Potter speaks not of his triumph over He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named –"

"Voldemort?" said Harry.

Dobby clapped his hands over his bat ears and moaned, "Ah, speak not the name, sir! Speak not the name!"

"Sorry," said Harry quickly. "I know lots of people don't like it. My classmate Ron –"

He stopped again. Thinking about Ron was not helpful.

Dobby leaned toward Harry, his eyes wide as headlights.

"Dobby heard tell," he said hoarsely, "that Harry Potter met the Dark Lord for a second time just weeks ago… that Harry Potter escaped _yet again_."

Harry nodded and Dobby's eyes suddenly shone with tears.

"Ah, sir," he gasped, dabbing his face with a corner of the grubby pillowcase he was wearing. "Harry Potter is valiant and bold! He has braved so many dangers already! But Dobby has come to protect Harry Potter, to warn him, even if he does have to shut his ears in the oven door later… _Harry Potter must not go back to Hogwarts._ "

"W-what?" Harry stammered. "But I've got to go back – term starts on September first. I shouldn't miss school."

"No, no, no," squeaked Dobby, shaking his head so hard his ears flapped. "Harry Potter must stay where he is safe. He is too great, too good, to lose. If Harry Potter goes back to Hogwarts, he will be in mortal danger."

"Why?" said Harry in surprise.

"There is a plot, Harry Potter. A plot to make most terrible things happen at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry this year," whispered Dobby, suddenly trembling all over. "Dobby has known it for months, sir. Harry Potter must not put himself in peril. He is too important, sir!"

"What terrible things?" said Harry at once. "Who's plotting them?"

Dobby made a funny choking noise and then banged his head frantically against the wall.

"All right!" cried Harry, grabbing the elf's arm to stop him. "You can't tell me. I understand. But why are you warning _me_?" A sudden, unpleasant thought struck him. "Hang on – this hasn't got anything to do with Vol – sorry – with You-Know-Who, has it? You could just shake or nod," he added hastily as Dobby's head tilted worryingly close to the wall again.

Slowly, Dobby shook his head.

"Not – not _He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named_ , sir –"

But Dobby's eyes were wide and he seemed to be trying to give Harry a hint. Harry started thinking. Could this be about that dark object Malfoy tried to hide among Ginny's books? He knew that Malfoy used to be a Death Eater. Judging by his son's behaviour, he was still holding the same ideas.

"I know of a dark object which somebody tried to smuggle into Hogwarts," he tried a shot in the dark. "Could that be the reason for your concern?"

Dobby nodded, his eyes wider than ever. And before Harry could stop him, Dobby bounded off the bed, seized Harry's desk lamp, and started beating himself around the head with ear splitting yelps. Harry moved almost as quickly, grabbed Dobby's hand and stopped him from inflicting harm on himself.

"Well then, that danger is over. I had the object destroyed, including whatever dark magic resided in it. That object will not have a chance of making horrible things happen at Hogwarts," said Harry.

Dobby's eyes seemed to get even larger. "Is that really destroyed?" he asked in disbelief.

"Really and truly. I watched my guardian destroy it with fiend-fire and then get rid even of the ashes. There's not even a sign of that object ever existing."

A reluctant smile appeared on Dobby's face. "Well, maybe that danger is removed, but Harry Potter must know there are other forces working, and some may become very dangerous. Dobby wants Harry Potter to be extremely careful. Dobby doesn't want to lose Harry Potter."

Harry lifted his hand. "I promise to be as careful as I can and avoid dangers to the best of my ability, excluding playing Quidditch."

Both were surprised as a bright flash appeared to engulf Harry, making it into a magical vow, although Harry didn't even hold his wand. Harry felt a bit nervous about it. He had never intended this promise to be so binding; not consciously, at least.

"Dobby can calm a bit now, but Dobby will watch Harry Potter and try to help in any case of danger," Dobby promised solemnly. He bowed deeply. "Goodbye, Harry Potter!" he said, clicked his fingers and vanished.

Harry told Hermione about this weird visit. "Do you think he may be one of Malfoy's house-elves?"

"That may be," she answered pensively. "Neither father nor son impressed me as people who care for others, either human or house-elves. As the Malfoy history is full of dark magic, possessing such a dark artefact is quite natural for them. I wonder what he had in mind though. I don't think we would ever find out."

"I'd also like to help Dobby come free from that family. We'll have to think of a way to do it," Harry added.

"Yes, we'll think about it," Hermione agreed.

\/\/\/\/\/

Harry didn't look forward to meeting the Weasleys again. Well, he didn't mind the twins too much, really. They were mostly fun and great company. He couldn't care less about Percy. It was the two youngest siblings he had a problem with. Ron, despite trying to look and act as a friend, was a burden he didn't like to carry, yet he needed to do it because of Dumbledore. No need to alert him prematurely to James's survival and Harry's abilities. Ginny, although he didn't know her too well, was evidently a fan-girl, enamored in Harry's perceived glory and fame. She couldn't even keep her composure near him, her face turning as red as her hair the moment they were close enough for him to notice. Her presence in Gryffindor common room (and Ron, at least, was sure that Ginny would be a Gryffindor, like all other Weasleys for many generations) could become a nuisance or even a problem if the girl didn't learn to control herself.

Still politeness dictated that they all meet at the train station and board together, or, what was probably the more realistic scenario, whoever came first would have to save places for the others, which translated to Harry and Hermione sitting with Ron and Ginny, at least.

Harry and Hermione came early, as usual, and saved a compartment. The Weasleys arrived just seconds before the train started moving. The twins only said hello before joining their older friends in another compartment. Percy didn't even say hello. Only Ron and Ginny stayed.

"Hello, I'm Hermione Granger," she tried starting some conversation with Ginny, "and this is my friend Harry."

It took Ginny some concentration to overcome her feelings, but Harry could see that she really tried. "Glad to meet you, Hermione, and you too, Harry. I'm Ginny, as you've already heard, I'm sure. Ron was talking a lot about you both during the summer."

"What did he tell you?" Harry asked, curious about what Ron had told. There wasn't much Ron could tell about his real adventures at Hogwarts, as Ron didn't believe him even when he told him the truth.

"Oh, he said you rescued Hermione from a troll, although he didn't know how. Can you tell me what really happened?"

Harry rolled his eyes. "Some other time," Hermione told Ginny, "when we can get some privacy so that no uninvited ears hear about it."

"Sure!" Ginny smiled at her, glad that this older girl was talking to her as an equal.

Although it took her a conscious effort to ignore Harry's fame, it was evident that the young girl was trying hard to let her friendly, open character show, without letting her hero-worship cloud her behaviour. Harry thought she could eventually become a very good friend, certainly better than her brother.

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	14. Second Year

**14\. Second year**

Ginny eventually left the compartment. She already knew some girls from other magical families and went looking for them.

Ron stayed. Despite Harry's evident displeasure, Ron insisted on staying with him and with Hermione on the Hogwarts Express. Harry wasn't sure if Ron did it on purpose, maybe due to some urging by Dumbledore, or he was just oblivious to the unwelcome facial expressions of the two.

To make things worse, Ron took out his rat and tried to force it to do some tricks. The fat rat didn't cooperate. It just rolled over and fell asleep, as it had always done. Harry tried to ignore it, as always, but then he noticed something unusual. The rat was missing a toe.

Harry was unsure about the meaning of this. He only remembered hearing something about a missing toe but was unable to recall anything else at that moment. He just committed the fact to memory, hoping he would eventually find its meaning.

Luckily, they were soon joined by Neville, whom Harry greeted happily. "How was your vacation in France?" Neville asked.

"It was wonderful. We spent about half the time at the Riviera, mostly on the beach, and then we went to the castle, which is not too far from the sea as well. I also had a chance to meet some of the children I used to be friends with before I came back to England."

"Oh, I wasn't aware of you spending your early childhood in France!"

"I sometimes also feel as if it was somebody else, yet I stayed there until I was about five. I had a deep French accent at first."

Neville smiled. "Do you have an English accent now when speaking French?"

"No, unless I try to play the tourist."

Neville turned to Hermione. "And how was your vacation?"

"It was actually very similar to Harry's. His guardians invited my family to join them and it was really nice."

Ron chose that moment to open his mouth. "Why didn't you invite me?" he asked Harry.

Harry winced internally and sighed. "I didn't invite anybody. My guardians thought it was a good idea to invite one of my friends, and being French – it was natural for them to invite a girl, or they would have invited Neville. His parents and mine used to be friends, you know."

"I can't understand the French!" Ron stated, as if it was a bizarre idea. He then took his rat by the tail and dropped it into his pocket.

'That rat could supply a nice Kitty meal,' Hermione thought, letting her inner kneazle surface for a moment.

"I'm going to find Ginny," Ron said, leaving the compartment. He didn't see the relieved expressions of the other three.

\/\/\/\/\/

Ginny was sorted to Gryffindor, as expected, and soon proved to be a very good student, reminding the teachers of her oldest brother, Bill. Her house-mates also found that she could do just as much mischief as her twin brothers. Everybody also learned not to incite her temper, as she knew some very interesting hexes and was quick to cast them. Even the twins had to tone down their banter when talking with her.

Hermione came to appreciate the youngest Weasley, who soon became her friend. This made Harry spend some more time with her as well, and Ginny found out that Harry the person was very different than the image she had been fed with of The-Boy-Who-Lived. She let go of the childish infatuation with the imaginary hero and became a real friend to both Hermione and Harry, although she did have a slight crush on Harry.

"I can't really blame her," Hermione told Harry. "I have a much bigger crush on you, you know."

"Just as I have a crush on you," he said. They both smiled happily.

\/\/\/\/\/

Their new DADA teacher proved to be a disappointment. Hermione thought he was cute and didn't mind his lack of talent too much, initially. "It's nice to have a teacher who looks so nice, for a change," she defended herself. "All the male teachers I've had since first grade were old and not well groomed. Besides, we can learn from books."

She changed her mind quite quickly, though. When he let some pixies free in class and ran to the safety of his office, leaving the students to handle the chaos that erupted, Hermione lost her respect for that man. Some more critical reading of his books made her opinion of him even worse. "This man is a fraud! He could not possibly do what he wrote in his books. He would need to be at two places at once to do some of the deeds he brags about. Not even magic would allow this!"

"He may have taken some liberty as a writer," Harry suggested.

"He took writer's liberty, alright, and the stories are fascinating, only he shouldn't present them as real. Some of the spells he describes don't even work as he pretends they do."

"You tried them all?"

Hermione shook her head. "I only tried those in one book. Half of them didn't work at all as written. Some were just typos, but most were simply wrong. The other worked, in a way, producing very different results than expected."

"Maybe you didn't cast them right?" Ron suggested.

He received a venomous glance in return. "I know I did them right," she said, her tone indicating that even this answer was below her dignity.

\/\/\/\/\/

Quidditch practice was becoming messier as winter approached, yet Oliver Wood didn't mind the weather. It was one evening after a practice, when Harry and Hermione were trudging in the corridors, their clothes full of water despite the water repelling charms, when they saw someone who seemed even gloomier. Nearly Headless Nick, the ghost of Gryffindor Tower, was staring morosely out of a window, muttering under his breath, "… don't fulfil their requirements… half an inch, if that…"

"Hello, Nick," said Harry.

"Hello, hello," said Nearly Headless Nick, "You look troubled, young ones," said Nick, folding a transparent letter as he spoke and tucking it inside his doublet.

"So do you," said Harry.

"Well, this Halloween will be my five hundredth deathday," said Nearly Headless Nick, "I'm holding a party down in one of the roomier dungeons. Friends will be coming from all over the country. It would be such an honour if you would attend, Mr. Potter and Miss Granger — but I daresay you'd rather go to the school feast?"

"No," said Harry quickly, "I'll come —"

"My dear boy! Harry Potter, at my deathday party! And –" he hesitated, looking excited "– do you think you could possibly mention to Sir Patrick how very frightening and impressive you find me?"

"Of – of course," said Harry.

Nearly Headless Nick beamed at him and moved away through the nearest wall.

"A deathday party?" said Hermione, after making sure Nick was no longer nearby. "I bet there aren't many living people who can say they've been to one of those — it'll be fascinating!"

\/\/\/\/\/

Harry had never paid much attention to Halloween. It was never too popular in France and even after moving to England, his parents didn't celebrate it, as it was also the day Lily had been murdered. Yet Hogwarts was certainly celebrating Halloween.

As most students were eagerly waiting for the Halloween feast, Harry and Hermione tried to find some more participants for the deathday party, yet none seemed interested. Ron was the only one who showed the slightest interest of joining them, but once he thought about what kinds of food would be at the feast, he lost even that slight interest.

So at seven o'clock, Harry and Hermione walked straight past the doorway to the packed Great Hall, which was glittering invitingly with gold plates and candles, and directed their steps instead toward the dungeons.

They saw Nearly Headless Nick standing at a doorway hung with black velvet drapes. He welcomed them and waved them in, where a large room, decorated with black everything, was crowded with hundreds of pearly-white, translucent people.

"Oh, no," said Hermione, stopping abruptly. "Turn back, turn back, I don't want to talk to Moaning Myrtle —"

"Who?" said Harry as they backtracked quickly.

"She haunts one of the toilets in the girls' bathroom on the first floor," said Hermione.

"She haunts a toilet?"

"Yes. It's been out-of-order all year because she keeps having tantrums and flooding the place. I never went in there anyway if I could avoid it; it's awful trying to have a pee with her wailing at you —"

Yet they weren't quick enough. The squat ghost of a girl had glided over. She had the glummest face Harry had ever seen, half-hidden behind lank hair and thick, pearly spectacles.

"You were talking of me?" she said sulkily.

"How are you, Myrtle?" said Hermione in a falsely bright voice. "It's nice to see you out of the toilet."

Myrtle sniffed.

"You're making fun of me," she said, silver tears welling rapidly in her small, see-through eyes.

"No — honestly — didn't I just say how nice Myrtle's looking?" said Hermione, nudging Harry painfully in the ribs.

"Oh, yeah, she did —"

"Don't lie to me," Myrtle gasped, tears now flooding down her face. "D'you think I don't know what people call me behind my back? Fat Myrtle! Ugly Myrtle! Miserable, moaning, moping Myrtle!"

Hermione thought that the truth might just work. "Well, some people do, I know, and you must admit that you don't make it any easier on them by flushing the toilets when somebody needs them most, yet I'm sure you do have an interesting story. Maybe if it gets known, people will be nicer to you?"

"Interesting story? I can't say that." If anything, Myrtle seemed even gloomier.

"Why don't you tell us how you died and let us decide?" Harry tried to help.

Myrtle didn't seem to change her mind about her story but agreed to tell it. "It happened in the toilets. I remember it so well. I'd hidden because Olive Hornby was teasing me about my glasses. The door was locked, and I was crying, and then I heard somebody come in. They said something funny. A different language, I think it must have been. Anyway, what really got me was that it was a boy speaking. So I unlocked the door, to tell him to go and use his own toilet, and then —" Myrtle swelled importantly, her face shining. "I died."

"How?" said Harry.

"No idea," said Myrtle in hushed tones. "I just remember seeing a pair of great, big, yellow eyes. My whole body sort of seized up, and then I was floating away…" She looked dreamily at Harry. "And then I came back again. I was determined to haunt Olive Hornby, you see. Oh, she was sorry she'd ever laughed at my glasses."

"Where exactly did you see the eyes?" said Harry.

"Somewhere near the sink in front of my toilet."

"Did you see anything while floating away, I mean – that boy or anything near him?"

Myrtle seemed to think hard. "There was something there, besides that boy, something green and big, but I don't know what it was or where it came from."

"Do you know who the boy was?"

"Oh, everybody knew him. He was the handsomest boy in school, a prefect and later became the head-boy. He didn't pay me much attention, though, as he was a Slytherin and I was in Ravenclaw. Most girls at school were day-dreaming of him, yet he dated none. I remember he was called Tom." She frowned trying to recall the name. "Yes, Tom Riddle." Her eyes misted over at the memory of that handsome boy.

"Well, that is very interesting, Myrtle," Hermione said. "Few can claim a more interesting death-story."

"You really think so?" Myrtle seemed to cheer up.

"Sure! It may gain you higher status among the ghosts, I'm sure."

\/\/\/\/\/

They checked Myrtle's bathroom a few days later. She seemed content to show them the exact place where the yellow eyes that killed her seemed to be. Harry and Hermione checked around and found the small serpent carving at the non-functioning sink. "Why would anybody carve..." Harry started, and then thought better of it. "You say you heard him saying something," he said to Myrtle. "Did it sound like this?" He then said, "$Open!$" in parseltongue.

"Yes, I think it was that!" Myrtle said cheerfully. She had been quite cheerful since talking with them at Halloween.

Harry looked at the sink. It seemed to move into the wall, revealing a large opening under it, large enough for a person to go through.

"Let's see what's in there," he suggested.

"Don't!" Hermione said forcefully. "You don't know what dangers lurk in there. If you just go boldly in, you may end up like Myrtle, unable to fulfil our betrothal. I can't allow that."

Although she tried to make it sound humorous, it was clear to Harry that she was really worried that something bad might happen to him. "$Close!$" he hissed at the sink, making it return to its previous state, closing the suspect opening in the floor.

"Maybe we should first try to find what could kill Myrtle that way and how we can protect ourselves against it, if it's still there," he admitted

Myrtle didn't seem to mind the danger, but she did hear them talking. "You are betrothed?" she asked, clearly enchanted at finding some gossip-worthy information.

"Yes, we are, of our own choice," Harry told her. "We intend to get married after graduating, but we keep it secret right now, and so should you." He remembered reading something about house secrets and their protection. He hoped it could make Myrtle silent on the subject. "It is a Potter House secret and is well protected."

Myrtle nodded her head. "I understand. I'll tell nobody."

They were already near the Gryffindor tower, when Hermione asked, "Do you think a House secret protection can do anything to a ghost?"

Harry shrugged. "I doubt it, but as long as it keeps her silent – who cares?"

They both started searching the library for anything that could kill by sight. It was quite a gruesome search, reading about death and the many ways it could happen. It caused them to miss quite a few meals, being unable to even think of food after reading about some of the 'interesting" ways to die. Yet no book mentioned any creature that could kill by sight. Hermione suspected there was something in the restricted section, but none of them wanted to ask permission for searching there, nor to be caught there with no permission. They decided to leave their research for the winter break, when they would have unrestricted access to the Potter Library and possibly the Black one as well, if needed.

They visited Hagrid a few days before the winter break. He was as glad as usual to see them and wanted to hear everything about them.

"I've heard you're doing well at Quidditch, both of you," he prompted.

"Well, Harry is the best seeker I can think of. He seems to be born to that position," Hermione said.

"And Hermione is just as good at playing a chaser. She's not dropped a ball even once, and when she's to score a goal, she's formidable!" Harry added.

"Sure, I've seen you both during practice. When you play, it seems so easy and fun, one would wonder why others need to work so hard at it," Hagrid agreed. "Now, I've heard you spend a lot of time in the library."

"It's the best place to do homework, I believe," Hermione said.

"We've been also doing some research. You see, Myrtle told us how she died, and we tried to find what killed her. It must have been a creature that could kill by just looking at you, but we found nothing in the library," Harry added.

"Why, a Basilisk can kill that way!" Hagrid seemed to be shocked much more than expected. "You say Myrtle was killed by a Basilisk?"

Hermione looked apologetic. "She told us that the last thing she saw, before dying, were two big, yellow eyes. Then, as a ghost, she also noted something big and green near that boy, Tom Riddle. I believe Tom was controlling it."

Hagrid was much paler than usual. "Tom Riddle, you say? That fits... Well, you must excuse me now. I find I have something urgent to talk with the headmaster."

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	15. Animagi

**15\. Animagi**

They spent Christmas together, once again visiting the castle in France, where they could feel really on vacation, as it was so different than their normal lodging. Sirius, Remus and their girlfriends joined them as well. It was Christmas morning, after opening the presents, when Harry remembered the toe-less rat. "You know, Ron's pet rat is missing a toe. I thought it was curious. I think one of you had also told us something about a missing toe, but I can't remember what it was."

Sirius paled at once. "A rat, you say? Which toe is absent?"

"On one of the front paws. I don't remember which one."

Sirius thought for a moment. "Well, how would you like a nice doggy to accompany you back to school?"

Hermione frowned, trying to remember everything about a rat and a toe... She suddenly smiled brightly. "You believe that rat to be Peter the traitor, don't you?"

"Sure. Do you know how long they have that rat?"

"Since Bill started Hogwarts, that would be..."

"Eleven years," Sirius said gravely.

Hermione frowned once again. "He knew you in your dog form, didn't he?"

"Of course. We all knew each other's animagus form."

"Then, good doggy must not come to the train with us."

"Why not?"

Hermione rolled her eyes. Harry explained. "If he recognizes you before we can catch him, he'll try to escape. We must set the trap for him in a way to assure that he would not be able to escape."

Remus didn't say anything. Only much later he asked them all to come to the study.

"I have a plan," he told the others.

With Hermione's help, and a bit of Harry's as well, they tweaked the plan until they were all satisfied with it.

"We also need a backup plan," Hermione reminded the boys, "in case something goes wrong with the main one."

It took them most of the rest of the vacation to come with a suitable backup plan, or a set of plans, that covered every aspect of the main plan that could go wrong. Hermione made sure that Harry knew by heart his part in any of the plans. Still, whatever plan they would finally use, Harry and Hermione had the main roles.

The youngsters used their winter vacation not only for making plans to capture the rat but also for finding a way to deal with a Basilisk, if one was still hiding behind that movable sink. They found that the crowing of the rooster was deadly to that monster, although it would probably take more than a single rooster crow to kill one, yet there was nothing to indicate that it couldn't be done with a recording. Harry tried to find some other sounds that had magical effects and eventually found that a certain birdsong could make some magical plants sprout flowers. A short visit at a music shop gave them several recordings of that bird, along with rooster crows, and Remus found it a suitable challenge to turn them into magical equivalents that could work at Hogwarts.

They visited Neville on the last day of vacation and tried the bird recording on the plant he had in the greenhouse. The effect was immediate.

A few days after returning to school, Kitty became a regular visitor in the boys' bedroom, staying some times for most of the night as well. "Why are you suddenly so interested in cats?" Ron complained. His rat seemed quite frightened by the Kneazle, despite it being relatively small. Whenever Kitty came, Scabbers would hide in Ron's bed and refuse to get out many hours after even Harry's enhanced senses couldn't detect her smell.

It was all according to the plan, though. That weekend, Kitty came into the bedroom soon after breakfast. Ron tried to "rescue" his pet a few times, yet the rat dug into Ron's sheets and even bit his finger, making Ron abandon his efforts. "Well, if the cat eats you, it's your fault," he said furiously to the rat and left the room, with only Harry still there.

It was something Harry had practised during the vacation until he knew it perfectly. He cast wandlessly, creating a containment ward and a magic suppressor, both engulfing Ron's bed from all directions. He made sure to include the bottom of the bed, so that even if the rat managed to burrow its way through the mattress, it would not be able to escape.

Just to be on the safe side, he added a sound proofing ward which assured that no sound would reach the rat. Hermione then cast several more spells to enhance and fortify what Harry had done. She returned to her Kitty form as soon as she finished casting and found a comfortable perch on Harry's bed.

After a short mirror-call, both Sirius and Remus apparated to Hogwarts' gates and soon came into the Gryffindor common room, collecting Minerva on their way.

"What are you up to now?" the strict teacher asked them.

"A marauder never tells," Sirius replied.

"We just need to help Justice do its work," Remus told her.

Whatever they had in mind, she knew it was something important, as both looked too serious for it to be a mere prank. She followed them to the second year boys' dorm, where Harry and Hermione were waiting.

"Do you know the spell to force an animagus back to his human form?" Remus asked her, as Sirius turned into a dog.

"Of course I do," Minerva said, just as the dog pulled one of the blankets and hid under it. She took her wand and pointed it at the blanket, saying a somewhat long spell. It made the dog turn into Sirius again, although his head was still covered by the blanket.

"Do you mind casting that spell on this bed?" Remus asked.

She looked a bit confused. "Why would..."

"Just do it. You'll see for yourself."

A moment later, the blanket rose, revealing a fat man under it. Before his head was uncovered, Hermione cast a quick glamour charm on both Sirius and Remus, making their colours and their facial features change. Harry removed the silencing spell.

"Peter?! I thought you were dead!" Minerva said, looking very surprised.

Peter didn't even answer. He tried to reach into his robes and grab his wand, but a quick "Incarcerous" cast by Harry made him unable to do anything. Harry and Hermione removed the wards and added some more binding on Peter. Minerva enhanced it with a spell to disable animagus transformation.

Harry didn't let himself think of what that pitiable excuse for a man meant for him. He was just glad to let the adults handle the rest of the affair, with Sirius using his auror position to take Peter into custody and bring him to the Ministry's holding cells for interrogation under veritaserum.

The whole affair was kept secret. Minerva made sure that it would not reach Dumbledore prematurely and Sirius, using his cousin's legal advice, was able to make it top secret at the Ministry, unknown even to the minister.

Ron was very surprised when told that his rat was actually a runaway criminal. Sirius made sure to send him a new owl as a compensation for his rat, and Ron seemed satisfied with that, never giving the rat any more thought.

\/\/\/\/\/

Although quite happy with his animagus form as Snow, Harry was starting to feel that there was another form waiting to be acknowledged inside him. He first ignored it, having other things in his mind, but as time passed, he felt like he should really try to do something about it. He sounded his concerns to Hermione, as usual. "I sometimes feel as if I need to run fast, on four limbs, yet I only have two legs as either Harry or Snow. Can you understand what I mean?"

Hermione seemed a bit surprised. "I also feel like there's another animal inside, just waiting to come out. It has four limbs, but it's not Kitty, and it lately started nagging to get out. I wonder what it is."

"Let's check the library for books about animals. I'm sure we can find something." Harry felt a bit smug to beat Hermione at suggesting the library. It didn't happen very often. This was actually the first time it did.

They spent two afternoons scanning all the books about magical creatures. The only one that made them feel anything at all was the werewolf, but this was nothing compared to how they had reacted when they recognized their first animagus form.

"Maybe it's not a magical creature. I'm sure we can find something about non-magical ones too," Hermione suggested.

They only found two such books. One dealt mainly with animals that could fly or swim. None stirred any emotions. The other was a kind of history, defining the origins of most house pets and how they differed from their wild cousins. Harry was quite doubtful it would be any good, but there was nothing else for them to check.

"This dog is cute," Hermione said, pointing at a small poodle, "but I don't think it's my form."

"Neither is it mine," Harry said.

Turning the page, they saw pictures of the bigger kinds of dogs, along with their original species – the wolf. This seemed to stir something inside them. Without uttering a word they left the library and found an unused class. Hermione locked and silenced it. They then moved each to a different corner, yet still looking at each other.

The change came almost immediately. Harry felt his body change just as he saw Hermione's form change. A short while later, there were two large wolves standing in the room. The male one was light grey, yet its head was almost black, as were its paws. His eyes stayed green. The other was brownish grey, turning brown at the head, with a bushy tail and deep chocolate eyes. Both looked at each other, as if studying their forms, before approaching and rubbing lovingly against each other. They then started smelling each other attentively from head to tail, the way dogs do sometimes. Once both were satisfied, they morphed back to their human form, both blushing madly.

"I..." Harry started reluctantly, but Hermione put a finger on his lips.

"Not now. We'll talk about this some other time. Maybe during our summer vacation."

Harry had never seen wolves in heat, but there were more than enough stray dogs to show him what could be expected. He felt like he almost acted the same way, yet he knew they were not ready for that yet, although they would be, eventually, in both human and wolf forms. He simply hugged his mate. "You know that I love you, don't you?"

She snuggled back to him. "Of course I do, and I love you too."

There was soon a rumour going through Hogwarts. A pair of wolves who looked quite playful with each other could often be spotted near the edge of the forest, usually very late at night. Those who saw them told that the two wolves were just chasing each other around or seemed to compete for speed. They seemed quite cute, yet nobody dared approach them, as they were much larger than most shepherd dogs and their teeth seemed sharper than knives. Nobody was willing to risk being bitten.

Harry and Hermione heard the rumour as well. "I saw them," he said. "The female seemed quite ruthless. I wouldn't like to anger her."

Hermione just smiled sweetly. "She also seems very fierce at protecting her male, and he seems just as fierce at protecting her."

Only Ron seemed of a different opinion. "They're just stupid dogs. Give them a piece of meat and they forget everything."

Harry believed that Ron was only assigning to the wolves what he knew about himself.

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	16. Snake

**16\. Snake**

Life continued as normal as it could be at Hogwarts. Most students considered DADA a serious subject no longer. Lockhart's lessons were viewed as some mild entertainment to lighten up the boring days, as long as he didn't bring any creatures to set free in class.

With other problems already handled, they returned their attention to the monster that had killed Myrtle.

"We can go to that bathroom and start searching this weekend," Harry noted.

"You should keep the rooster recording handy and let it sound for a while before every bend. We must still be cautious of any other dangers there."

"I can't endanger myself knowingly. I promised Dobby and it turned into a magical vow."

Hermione frowned and then smiled. "Well, if I go first, then you'll be protecting me, not going boldly into danger."

"I still need you to stay safe so we can keep our betrothal," he told her with no trace of humor.

"I'll keep that in mind. I love you, Harry."

He hugged her tight. "And I love you. I need you at my side for the rest of our lives."

She hugged him back. "Just like I need you."

They kept the hug for quite a while, enjoying it much more than any of them expected. When they parted, both had red faces and wide smiles. "I think we should hug more often," Harry noted in almost a whisper.

"We certainly should. It makes me feel so good when we hug, and then I feel more powerful," Hermione agreed.

"So do I."

They stayed silent for a short while and then, as if by common agreement, they turned to each other and hugged again.

They parted, eventually. "Shouldn't we proceed with our plan?" Hermione asked.

Harry took her hand. "Sure! Let's go!"

Myrtle wasn't visible at the toilet. Harry opened the sink and sounded the rooster crowing for a bit. He then peeked into the hole in front of him. "This doesn't look like a person could use it, although a snake may find it comfortable. I think there should be another way there, more suitable for walking."

Hermione nodded in agreement. Both started looking around for any other hint for a passage. They needed to use some cleaning charms, as the place was not well maintained and a lot of dirt had accumulated in several places.

"I think I found something," Hermione noted a bit later.

Harry rushed to her side. The back wall, near the last toilet partition, had a minute mark on it. Only close examination showed it to be the form of a snake. "$Open!$" he hissed.

The wall slid aside, revealing a wide stairway. It was dusty and full of cobwebs, yet several torches along it came to life seconds after the stairs became visible. Hermione waved her wand, vanishing all the dust and dirt, also removing all the cobwebs. It now looked like a very elegant stairway. The marble stairs were carved with snake motifs as were the marble banisters, and the ceiling had a drawing of several snakes intertwined.

Harry made a move to go down, yet Hermione stopped him. "There may be some traps in there," she reminded him.

She cast some charms on the stairs, on the walls and on the ceiling, making some faint green lines shine briefly. Hermione frowned. "There's something there, alright, but I have no idea what it is or how to disarm it."

She looked around, searching for something. A large stone that had come loose from the wall ages ago seemed to be what she was looking for. She transfigured the stone into a teddy-bear, enlarged it to be as tall as they were and animated it to walk down the stairway, directing it to stay close to the green lines she had seen before. It reached the first landing with no mishap. She then made it climb back, staying close to the wall, this time. When it reached about the midway, the stairs opened like a trapdoor and swallowed it.

"Why bother with the stairs? I could take you there as Snow," Harry suggested.

"We don't really know where this goes and just flying along the stairs may trigger other traps. It looks like we should be fine if we stay on the green line. We only have to make it visible." She cast a spell that made the line appear and went down a step. Harry followed her immediately, keeping his wand ready. As soon as they took another step down, the wall behind them slid back, closing the entrance.

"Do you think this is a trap?" he asked worriedly.

"No. Leaving a secret passage open is not very wise. I find it natural to close the door as soon as it's not needed. You can probably open it again when coming back. Besides, you could always fire-travel as Snow, bypassing that wall altogether."

Harry let out a breath he was holding. "Yes, Snow can take you to safety."

They proceeded cautiously, sounding the rooster crowing every few paces, down the stairs, past two more landings, before reaching a slimy corridor. What attracted their attention first was the shed skin of a snake. It was wider than both of them together and seemed too long to measure. The snake that had shed it must have been huge!

"Are you sure we should proceed?" Harry asked her. He didn't want to lose Hermione to that monster.

"Yes, we must go on. Just sound the rooster crowing more often," she answered bravely, yet her voice sounded shaky.

She still waved her wand, cleaning the corridor and banishing the empty skin aside. Once clean, it didn't look so ominous, and several torches came to life along the walls, making it look as normal as any corridor at Hogwarts.

They soon reached a round metal door, locked with several snake-like bars. Another "$Open!$" command opened the door. They let the rooster crowing sound for much longer before even peeking at the other side of the door.

The hall they found out when they finally crossed the threshold was just as large as the Great Hall and almost as magnificent. It had multiple columns with spiral carving holding its ceiling, and the walls had many paintings on them, most showing various snakes. A large statue stood at the far end of the hall, presumably depicting Slytherin. The floor was covered with mud and some water puddles. Hermione used her wand to make the hall much cleaner, finding out that the largest puddle, quite near the statue, was actually a shallow decorative pool.

As they approached the statue, they heard some noise behind it. Hermione looked frightened, but for Harry, this was not some random noise. He was hearing, "$Please don't make that sound again. It's killing me. I promise I don't want to harm anyone. The only time I killed someone, it was by mistake, as the speaker directed me to look at a door that a girl was just opening. I keep regretting that incident for fifty years already. Please let me live!$"

"$Who are you?$" Harry hissed back, still keeping both his wand and his recording ready.

"$Your kind calls me Basilisk, but I'm just an unfortunate snake. Salazar thought I could be a good guardian for the school, but I'm not. I have to close my inner eyelids to even look at anyone without risking to harm them.$"

"$I promise not to hurt you if you come out and let us see you with your inner eyelids closed,$" Harry said.

"Put your sunglasses on and make them as dark as you dare," he told Hermione, doing just as he told her. He heard a rustle from above and saw the head of the snake coming out of the statue's mouth. Despite his dark glasses, he could still notice the serpent's large yellow eyes, only they looked as if they were under a kind of veil. Hermione gasped at the view and turned her face back.

"$You can tell your mate I won't harm her. You can both look at me with no fear.$"

Harry translated. Hermione removed her eyeglasses reluctantly and squinted a few times before she looked at the snake. It seemed even bigger than she thought it would be, yet it lowered its head as if asking to be petted. She looked at Harry questioningly.

"I think it's safe to pet it," he said, not fully sure of it himself.

Eventually, they both sat on the floor, asking questions and letting the snake tell them about the time of the founders, when it had grown to only four feet long, about the good and bad times that it had passed at Hogwarts and about the girl it had accidentally killed.

"$Would you like to apologize to her? She's still at the castle, as a ghost.$"

"$Will you help me talk to her?$"

Harry smiled. "$Of course. I don't think that she can talk to snakes.$" He then gave it a thought. "$Maybe we should ask her to come here with us. It may be too dangerous if you roam the corridors.$"

"What do you eat? You couldn't reach your big size without eating," Hermione noted and Harry translated.

Harry did his best to translate as quickly as he could. "I eat rats and mice and other pests that find their way here. The house elves also bring some remains to me a few times a year, and I have an exit to the forest, where I can hunt a bit. I can't hunt big game, though, as my throat only allows me to swallow nothing bigger than a small dog. It's a waste to kill any bigger animals."

"Did Salazar leave anything behind him, besides this statue?"

"Sure, the statue is only blocking the entrance to his private apartment, where he used to store all his books, except those he deemed appropriate for the students. He also had a potions lab there and some non-magical instruments with which he tried to learn more about magic and nature. The hall is also lined with books, if you know how to reveal them."

Harry's stomach grumbled, reminding him it was time for lunch. "$We need to go now. You should stay safely away from other people. Is there anything that you'd like us to bring to you the next time?$"

The Basilisk seemed to think a bit. "There was a certain food I liked very much and Salazar used to bring it to me every weekend. It was a kind of flattened meatball boiled in oil, I think. If you could bring some, or tell the house elves to bring some, it would really make me happy."

"I think he's referring to hamburger, or what preceded it," Hermione said.

"I'll see what I can do, although I doubt it would taste the same. When would you like us to come next time?"

It looked like the Basilisk shrug, although Harry doubted it could make such a movement. "I'm all alone here. You're welcome whenever you can spare me some time, but please don't bring that deadly sound to me. I'd like to hear some music, though. I didn't have a chance to hear any since Sal left me here all alone."

They barely reached lunch on time. Ron was already finishing his second serving when they came. "Where have you been all morning?" he asked, with his mouth still full.

"We were studying a bit about the founders and their pets. It was quite interesting," Hermione said brightly.

"You two are mental, spending even the weekend on studies, and on subject we're not graded at, to boot," Ron huffed, returning his focus to his plate.

Myrtle was quite reluctant to come and meet the cause of her death. "It can't kill you again now, you know," Harry tried to reassure her.

"Of course it can't, but even ghosts can be damaged or feel hurt. Why should I chance that?"

"It wants to apologize to you. It was Tom who ordered it to use its deadly gaze and look at the door when he heard you move. It's Tom's fault that you're dead, not the snake's."

Myrtle shook her head, still not too sure. "Well, I'll come with you, but if it tries anything, I'll be off at once."

"That should be good enough," Harry agreed.

The basilisk welcomed them like old friends. It asked to be petted first and then it noticed Myrtle and turned sad. "I'm so sorry I caused your death. The speaker tricked me to open my eyes completely and look at the door, and then you opened it, looking straight into my eyes, before I could shut them. He then told me I was a killer. It took me a long time to understand that he was the one who wanted to kill and he used me as his weapon. I'm sorry I couldn't prevent that."

Harry translated it all, yet Myrtle seemed to understand even before he did. "Can you understand the snake?" he asked.

"I couldn't, while I was alive, but maybe being killed by a snake made me understand its language as a ghost," Myrtle mused. "It really isn't as bad as I thought it would be."

"Well, thank you, kind lady. I'll do all that I can to make you forgive me," the basilisk said. It seemed to understand her, although she only spoke English.

"Can you keep me company? I'm all alone most of the time and the students stay away from me."

The snake shook its head sadly. "It's too dangerous for me to come and visit you there, but you can visit me here whenever you feel lonely. I'm also very lonely. The first time I had any visitors since that incident is when these two came searching here."

"Oh, I'll come! You can be sure of that!" Myrtle seemed enthusiastic for being accepted by a living soul, even if not human. Harry felt content. The Basilisk would cherish her company too much to ever say anything offending to her, and afterlife may become more pleasant for her too.

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	17. Freeing Dobby

**A.N.** This chapter is somewhat sorter than usual, but it didn't seem right to merge it with another.

 **17\. Freeing Dobby**

 _[There are a few paragraphs at the end of this chapter that are taken almost verbatim from the book, with only minor differences caused by the different plot. I simply didn't feel like reinventing the wheel.]_

Harry was still wondering how he could free Dobby from Malfoy. There was nothing he could really do, as only the house-elf's master had the power to free it. Since the Potter family owned quite a few house-elves, James had already taught him all he needed to know about these small, helpful creatures. He needed to find a way to trick Malfoy senior into freeing Dobby, but he had no idea how that could be done.

It was actually Draco Malfoy who inadvertently gave him the opportunity he was looking for. Draco used to spout pureblood bigotry at any occasion, and Hermione's presence seemed to enhance this tendency. Whenever he saw her, he used to call her Mudblood and Muggle Filth and other derogatory names. That day, just before going to the potions lesson, Draco noticed Harry and Hermione coming together. This was like waving a red cloth in front of a raging bull. As Draco started his usual tirade, Harry decided to put an end to it. "You may talk all you want, but Hermione, despite your name-calling, is better than you in any way. She's smarter than you, she gets much higher grades than you and is even more powerful than you, both physically and magically. You're nothing compared to her."

"You'll pay for this, Potter. You shall both pay for this," Draco said, grabbing his wand tightly and sending a curse at them both. Harry didn't flinch. He wandlessly conjured a strong shield that reflected the curse back to Draco, who was too surprised to even duck, hitting his chest squarely. Draco fell on the floor, whining like a baby, as his skin became covered with ugly (and evidently painful) boils. Snape opened the class door at that moment, only noticing Draco falling in pain.

"Potter – that would be two weeks detention and twenty points from Gryffindor for cursing another student."

"I can understand why the perpetrator should serve two weeks detention, Professor, but why should you deduct points from Gryffindor when it was a Slytherin that did all the damage?"

"You hit Malfoy, didn't you?"

"I didn't. I only saw his curse rebound back on him. I didn't even take my wand out. It's still in my bag, as you can check."

Snape looked murderous, yet it was clear that neither Harry nor his friend were holding any wand while Draco still kept his wand clutched firmly in his hand. He looked sick when replying, "Then of course, no point deduction from Gryffindor and five point deduction from Slytherin. Crabble, Goyle – take Malfoy to the infirmary. The rest of you – into the class! There's no time to waste!"

Draco was evidently quick to whine to his father, who came a day later to ask for Potter's punishment due to attacking his son, not being bothered by the facts. Harry was summoned to the Headmaster's office soon after dinner.

"This brat had the audacity to attack my son, a pureblood, and harm him for no reason at all. I insist on him being punished severely," Lucius Malfoy said.

"Did you attack Draco?" Dumbledore asked Harry.

"No. It was the other way round. He first attacked my friend verbally, and when I told him that she's better than him in any conceivable way, he tried to attack us. Luckily, his curse rebound back on him. I didn't even take my wand out," Harry insisted on his version of the events.

"I don't believe this half-blood. He's surely lying! He must be punished." Lucius didn't even want to talk to Harry directly.

"I'm willing to repeat this under Veritaserum, if Draco is interrogated the same way," Harry suggested.

Malfoy wanted to object, but Dumbledore responded first. "That's a very good idea. It will let us know who's telling the truth and punish the one who needs to be punished."

Lucius kept his haughty expression, yet Harry could sense his displeasure. Veritaserum was something Lucius was avoiding for more than a decade. He was probably aware of what the results would be.

Draco, who had almost recovered from the boils, was brought in by a house elf that Harry recognized – Dobby. Snape was also called in to administer the truth potion. He first gave Harry three drops of the potion. They waited a moment for it to take effect, and then Dumbledore asked, "Tell me what happened before Potions class, how Draco got injured."

As the question didn't specifically address the way the curse had been reflected, Harry repeated what he had already said, almost verbatim.

Draco was then given the potion and asked the same question.

"That Granger girl, along with Potter are practically destroying the pureblood beliefs, as none is a pureblood and they both surpass all purebloods by so much that it can't be ignored, unlike others who are not much better than most pureblood students. I had to try and belittle them, and then Potter turned it all backwards, pointing for all to see how much better than me Granger was. I needed to punish them and cursed them with boils. The curse almost hit them and then rebounded somehow and hit me."

"Why didn't you move aside?"

"It was my curse, I didn't think it would harm me."

"Did Potter use his wand?"

"No. He only seemed to say something to his friend, and then the curse was reflected back."

Dumbledore looked at Lucius. "As much as I would like to make you happy, it's clear that your son caused the problems to himself. Professor Snape verified that Potter's wand was still in his bag, as was Granger's. There's nothing to punish Potter for, yet your son should learn to keep his bigotry to himself."

Lucius looked ill at hearing this. He glared at Harry and then at Dumbledore and then turned around, pushing his son before him and calling, "We're going, Dobby!"

He wrenched open the door and as the elf came hurrying up to him, he kicked him right through it. They could hear Dobby squealing with pain all the way along the corridor. Harry stood for a moment, thinking hard. Then it came to him – this could give him the opportunity he was looking for.

Harry dashed out of the office. He could hear Dobby's squeals of pain receding around the corner. Quickly, wondering if this plan could possibly work, Harry used the cover of the night to conjure a small book, similar to the one Lucius had dropped in the Weasley cauldron just before school, making it scorched and dirty as well. Harry took off one of his shoes, pulled off his dirty sock, and stuffed that book into it. Then he ran down the dark corridor.

He caught up with them at the top of the stairs.

"Mr. Malfoy," he gasped, skidding to a halt, "I've got something for you –"

And he forced the smelly sock into Lucius Malfoy's hand.

"What the –?"

Mr. Malfoy ripped the sock off the book, threw it aside, then looked furiously from the ruined book to Harry. "You'll meet the same sticky end as your parents one of these days, Harry Potter," he said softly. "They were meddlesome fools, too."

He turned to go.

"Come, Dobby. I said, come."

But Dobby didn't move. He was holding up Harry's disgusting, dirty sock, and looking at it as though it were a priceless treasure.

"Master has given a sock," said the elf in wonderment. "Master gave it to Dobby."

"What's that?" spat Mr. Malfoy. "What did you say?"

"Got a sock," said Dobby in disbelief. "Master threw it, and Dobby caught it, and Dobby – Dobby is free."

Lucius Malfoy stood frozen, staring at the elf, then he lunged at Harry.

"You've lost me my servant, boy!"

But Dobby shouted, "You shall not harm Harry Potter!"

There was a loud bang, and Mr. Malfoy was thrown backward. He crashed down the stairs, three at a time, landing in a crumpled heap on the landing below. He got up, his face livid, and pulled out his wand, but Dobby raised a long, threatening finger.

"You shall go now," he said fiercely, pointing down at Mr. Malfoy. "You shall not touch Harry Potter. You shall go now."

Lucius Malfoy had no choice. With a last, incensed stare at the pair of them, he swung his cloak around him and hurried out of sight.

"Harry Potter freed Dobby!" said the elf shrilly, gazing up at Harry, moonlight from the nearest window reflected in his orb-like eyes. "Harry Potter set Dobby free!"

"Least I could do, Dobby," said Harry, grinning.

The elf's ugly brown face split suddenly into a wide, toothy smile.

"I've just got one question, Dobby," said Harry as Dobby pulled on Harry's sock with shaking hands. "You told me all this had nothing to do with He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named, remember? Well –"

"It was a clue, sir," said Dobby, his eyes widening, as though this was obvious. "Was giving you a clue. The Dark Lord, before he changed his name, could be freely named, you see?"

"Right," said Harry weakly. "Well, I'd better go. I should be back in the dorms before my friends get too worried."

Dobby threw his arms around Harry's middle and hugged him.

"Harry Potter is greater by far than Dobby knew!" he sobbed. "Farewell, Harry Potter!"

And with a final loud crack, Dobby disappeared.

Harry told everything to Hermione as soon as he could talk privately with her. Hermione listened attentively and seemed proud to hear how well he handled the situation, both with the headmaster and with the house-elf. "You did splendidly!" she told him. "What will Dobby do now, though?"

Harry shrugged. "I really don't know. There aren't many free house-elves, but I don't know why. He may find work for a salary, I assume. I don't care, as long as he doesn't need to suffer."

Hermione kissed his cheek. "I'm sure you gained yourself a very loyal friend in Dobby, if nothing else."

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	18. Summer 93

**18\. Summer 93**

Once again, both families planned to spend most of the summer in France, as had become their habit. Harry considered inviting Neville as well, but wasn't sure it was such a good idea, as they used to spend most of the summer at cloth-free beaches. With the magical world being so conservative, and especially since Neville was being raised by his grandmother, this didn't seem like something the shy boy would willingly join.

"Where are you going to spend your summer?" Ron asked when they were already on the train home.

Harry shrugged. "I suppose my guardians will take me to France again. They like going there each summer to visit family and friends."

"It sounds boring," Ron commented.

"They enjoy it," Harry said, making it sound as if he didn't. Actually, he was looking forward to that vacation and all that it meant.

When they finally reached their vacation resort, Harry was fascinated at seeing Hermione's body blooming into womanhood. While school robes hid her figure effectively, he wasn't aware of the changes his betrothed was going through, yet he was delighted to see her upgraded figure once they reached the beach.

"You look magnificent!" he told her. "School robes do you no justice!"

She smiled, enjoying the compliment. "Well, we should concentrate on our studies while at school."

Harry could barely take his eyes off her. There was no other girl whom he could find even close to the perfection that Hermione was for him. He was a bit apprehensive at hugging her the way they had been hugging since they had become friends, but Hermione dissolved his worries, hugging him as tightly as ever, not minding her budding breasts being pressed firmly onto his chest, nor the evident reaction of his body.

Yet summer was not only enjoying the beaches. James decided it was time to teach Harry and Hermione a bit about the Potter ancestry. They were surprised when James started with the "Tales of Beedle and Bard".

"There's a legend in here, telling about three brothers. While the details may be exaggerated, the three brothers were real. The Potter family has merged with the Peverell line many generations ago. The invisibility cloak, that Dumbledore was kind enough to give you back, is actually the same one mentioned in the legend, passed from generation to generation in our family."

Both teens seemed excited at hearing this. Harry could feel Hermione's eagerness to start reading that book as soon as she could.

"There are two other artefacts mentioned in that story. One is a very powerful wand, yet it's not quite the blessing one would expect it to be. Too many wizards, especially dark ones, seek as much power as possible. They'd do everything to get this wand. None of the wizards who took possession of the Elder wand died of old age. All were killed, one way or the other, by somebody who wanted to get the wand."

Hermione shivered at the implications. Harry hugged her reassuringly.

"The third item – the resurrection stone – is not what its name implies. It cannot bring somebody back to life. It can only bring his shadow, his ghost, to temporarily present itself. Some of those who tried to use it turned insane. That's what probably happened to some of Slytherin's descendants, who inherited the stone when they merged with the line of another Peverell brother."

He smiled at seeing the pensive expression of the youngsters. "I suggest you start by reading this book and then look at the Potter ancestry in the library. The books on the eastern wall are all about our ancestors and their deeds or misdeeds."

They first spent some time reading the tales. Just like they had done as small children, they lay side by side on the carpet and read from the same book, their bodies pressed tightly into each other. Both seemed to like it. Once they read that book and discussed it a bit, they moved to the library.

"I think we should learn the recent history first, as it's probably more relevant," Harry suggested. Hermione nodded her agreement. Checking the books, they were a bit surprised to find that the last one was labelled, "James Charlus Potter, 1960 – 1981?"

They both knew that James was still alive, yet believed to be dead since that fateful Halloween. Still, both were eager to learn some more. James didn't like talking about his past, and the other Marauders talked mainly about the pranks they had used to play at school.

Harry was actually surprised to read that his father, despite trying to seem uninterested in studying, had been one of the best students of both Charms and Transfigurations, and not too bad in Potions either. He had turned more serious after Lily Evans agreed to date him, getting even higher grades.

Several chapters were also dedicated to Lily, telling about her childhood, her first bouts of magic and her friendship with Severus Snape – the poor boy from the nearby slums. Harry was delighted to see that his mother had been an excellent student, getting the highest grades seen at Hogwarts for many generations. He felt proud that Hermione and he were getting about the same grades as Lily.

They skipped the parts dealing with James's failed attempts at wooing Lily before the end of sixth year. Although some of his attempt had been hilarious, Harry didn't want to think of that, and Hermione agreed. They'd already heard more than enough when Sirius or Remus were teasing James, which happened at almost every visit.

Harry also didn't want to read about the last year of his parents as a couple – his first year as a baby. He thought it could turn too painful. Besides, he had already heard enough about that.

Instead, they turned their attention to the beginning of the century, and even a bit earlier, delving into the last decades of the Victorian era. It was fascinating reading. Harry found that his ancestors, despite being very respectable and contributing a lot to the modernization of the wizarding laws and government, as well as doing well in business, were also infamous pranksters, whose pranks were sometimes borderline bullying. He frowned at that, though. It still made the enmity between the Marauders and Snape more understandable to him, wondering if his father had not gone overboard with his pranks.

Summer vacation was also a perfect time to exercise their animagus forms. Both wolves ran freely in the fields, mostly hidden by the high vegetation. James had even given them dog collars, so that they would not be easily recognized as wolves. When at the castle, Snow could also be seen flying around, far from any muggle area. Kitty had no problems, of course, roaming freely wherever they went.

It all changed significantly when they got the Daily Prophet where the main headline was, " _ **Peter Pe**_ _ **t**_ _ **tigrew escaped Azkaban!**_ " A picture of the fat rat-like man was posted on the front page, under the headline.

The article below also informed the public that the Ministry decided to post Dementors around Hogwarts, fearing that Peter might try to get his revenge on Harry Potter.

James was deeply concerned. "Dementors are extremely dangerous, and putting them near school children is simply criminal. I think you shouldn't attend Hogwarts at least until they are removed. You can easily go to Beauxbatons instead."

"Can Hermione come as well?" Harry asked.

James wasn't sure. "She's not a French subject and has no connection. I doubt if her parents can cover the schooling expenses without the stipend given to muggle-born at Hogwarts."

"I won't leave Hermione behind. Wherever she goes, I go," Harry insisted.

James wasn't happy about it, but he wasn't able to dismiss the evident bond that was tightening between the children. "You need to learn the Patronus charm, at least. I won't let you go without it."

Yet James wasn't able to teach the patronus too well. He managed to teach the basics to the children, but then had to ask for Moony's help. Remus proved to be a very good teacher, and he was also able to find a way to make them practice. By the end of the summer vacation, both Harry and Hermione were able to produce a corporeal patronus that lasted a few seconds.

James was still concerned. "You should be aware of the fact that animals are much less affected by Dementors. If you encounter danger from them, transform and flee in your animal form. You'll be much safer that way."

They returned to Kent about a week before the end of the summer vacation, going to shop for school books the next day. As usual, James didn't join the shopping trip, and this time the Grangers decided not to join it as well, trusting their daughter to do her shopping right. Liz went with the two children. They were already big enough to do their shopping alone, but she preferred them to be with an adult nearby. She really didn't need to help them in any way. Both children knew what they needed to buy and where to find it and shopped wisely. Hermione only bought a few books that weren't in their book list, but nobody expected her to act differently.

The children didn't let the Dementor threat bother them. As they boarded the Hogwarts Express on the first day of September, they were just as enthusiastic and as happy as always, despite being fully aware of the danger. Both kept their wands ready and tried to be more aware of everything around them, without letting it affect their moods.

They couldn't escape Ron on the train. Although he arrived at the last moment, as usual, he still looked for them and sat down, as if he was a good friend of them. Ginny came along as well, looking shyly at Harry and frowning a bit at noticing the way he and Hermione were holding hands. She still acted politely. "May I stay with you for a while?" she asked.

"Of course, Ginny," Hermione said, while Harry welcomed her with a warm smile.

"You should have come with us to Egypt," Ron told them. "It was so much fun! Bill works there, and he took us to see..."

Harry tuned Ron out. From the little he had heard, Ron was just boasting, unaware of any of the more meaningful sights he'd seen there. It didn't surprise him the least. He didn't know if Ron deserved to be laughed at or to be pitied for being so dense.

Neville also joined them for a short while. "I promised Susan and her friend Hannah to stay mostly with them. They are both changing," he blushed terribly as he talked, "and don't like other boys to mock them or pay them unwelcome attention."

"Why don't you invite them to share compartment with us? I believe we have room enough," Hermione suggested.

Harry blushed at the mental image that popped into his mind. He had seen girls of all ages at the nude beaches and knew what those changes meant. Still, he had to consciously think of something else to regain control of his body's reaction before the girls could notice, yet both Hermione and Ginny noticed. They exchanged a furtive glance with each other, smiling just a bit.

The two other girls joined them a few minutes later. Harry was becoming acutely aware of their bulging breasts, that even the school robes were unable to hide. Furtively comparing them with Hermione and Ginny he decided that he liked Hermione's breasts best, despite them being the smallest. He thought that Ginny had probably inherited her mother's big breasts, as he could already notice her breasts bulging despite her young age. For her sake, he hoped she didn't inherit her mother's other proportions.

Ron was the only one who openly stared at Susan's bust, not minding that it made her feel uncomfortable. Eventually, Ginny seemed to get tired of his behaviour. "Ron, didn't you promise the twins to join them?" she said.

"I don't..." he started, but she stopped him with an elbow jab into his side. "Sure. I think I'll go now," he said and left the compartment hurriedly. Harry and Hermione exchanged an amused glance.

Once they all got comfortable, it was quite pleasant, with each telling a bit about his or her summer vacation. Hermione and Harry conveniently refrained from mentioning the nudity at the beaches and the pool. Only Ginny said nothing. She was a bit intimidated by the older girls and her crush on Harry didn't help matters either.

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	19. Dementors

**19\. Dementors**

They were less than half an hour ride from Hogwarts, when the lights flickered and the train came brusquely into halt. The lights flickered a few more times before turning off completely, and the air became colder and colder. They could see their breathing condense on the windows and turn into ice.

Harry looked at Hermione and they both took out their wands, thankful for the training they had received during the last days of vacation and hoping it would prove good enough. They also moved closer to the door, as if guarding against intruders.

The air kept getting colder. Neville was whimpering slightly on the bench, hugged with both Susan and Hannah. Harry wasn't sure who was comforting whom.

They didn't have to wait too long. A bony hand pushed the compartment door open, bringing in an air of despair. Harry found it very hard to concentrate, but his training proved quite worthy. _"Expecto Patronum!"_ he said quietly, recalling Hermione smiling at him on the beach, wearing only sun lotion. He also felt a strong need to protect her.

Some silvery fog came out of his wand, quickly condensing into a stag form and turning towards the black cloaked figure at the door. Catching it between its horns, the stag threw that figure out and positioned itself at the door opening, joined by a somewhat smaller doe that came out of Hermione's wand.

Another silvery apparition came from farther along the corridor, banishing the Dementors out. The lights flickered back to life and the train started moving again, while the air quickly warmed back to its normal temperature.

"What was that?" Ginny asked in a stammering voice, still sitting on the bench, huddled into as small a ball as she could manage.

"That was a Dementor," Hermione told her.

"And you managed to keep it away?!"

"Well Harry did most of it. I could only react once his Patronus appeared."

Neville and the other girls were also recuperating. "You produced a corporeal patronus, both of you! That's incredible!"

Their discussion was cut when somebody came in running. "Harry, Hermione, are you alright?"

Harry lifted his eyes at the familiar voice. "Yes, Moony. We both managed to produce the Patronus. Thank you for helping us master it. What are you doing on the train, though?"

Moony smiled, evidently relieved at seeing Harry well. "You'll have to call me Professor Lupin from now on, as I accepted the position of Defence teacher at Hogwarts."

"You did?! That's wonderful. I'm glad we shall finally have a competent teacher. You did quite well teaching us this spell, you know."

Moony smiled and turned his attention at the other children in the compartment. All were pale and somewhat shivering. He took a few chocolate bars from a pocket and handed one each. "This will help you feel better after encountering Dementors."

He gave Harry and Hermione a bar each as well, although they didn't look so pale. "A Patronus may be very exhausting. Some chocolate will do you good as well." Hermione looked as if she was going to protest, but Harry took the two bars and smiled at Moony. "It's always tasty, no matter the circumstances," he added with a wink.

"You know him?" Neville asked, after the chocolate took its effect.

"Sure! He used to be a very close friend of my parents and he still visits me occasionally. My guardians asked for his help to teach me the Patronus charm, so I would be protected, once they learned of the Dementors being positioned near Hogwarts. We may finally have a worthy DADA teacher."

"And how did you learn that charm?" Ginny asked Hermione.

"Well, Harry insisted on me learning it as well, so he invited me to join his studies. We live quite close, you know, and we spent the summer vacation together."

Ginny nodded gravely, understanding that she didn't really have a chance with Harry.

\/\/\/\/\/

Despite the Dementors being stationed around Hogwarts, the third year turned quite nice. Harry still checked the Marauder map daily, but found no trace of Peter. The traitor was probably unwilling to face the Dementors and not inclined on revenge. Harry felt sure that Peter left Britain as soon as he was able, probably not intending to ever come back.

Professor Lupin also proved his worth. Despite some students feeling that he was not as worthy, if only due to his clothing (and Malfoy was the most vocal among them), he was soon acknowledged as the best defence teacher the school had had for quite a few years. His lessons were clear and full of useful information and even most students who didn't like to put any effort into their studies were able to achieve passable results.

This didn't mean that all was well at school. Draco Malfoy turned to become a real nuisance, trying to insult Harry and his friends whenever he had a chance. It usually turned into Draco being humiliated, unless a certain teacher was nearby, to step in before that could happen. Harry's frustration with Snape was mounting to new levels, and he felt he needed to do something about it, before it got out of hand. He just didn't know what.

Then, a few days before Halloween, Draco tried his tricks once again. Harry was walking with Hermione along the shore of the lake, enjoying the mild weather. Winter was due soon and any sunny day was welcome, even if the temperatures stayed quite low. Draco had probably watched them and anticipated the direction they would go, as they used to walk that same way whenever they could spare some time and the weather cooperated.

They were just passing some trees when Draco and his cronies stepped from between the trees. Draco glared at them, as usual. "Well, well, well, if it isn't Potty and his Mudblood. It looks like they need to learn a lesson, and I'll be kind enough to teach them."

Draco grabbed his wand out of his pocket, not quite looking at Harry and Hermione, who had their wands pointed at him even before his wand came out. When he looked back at them, he seemed surprised that they were already pointing their wands, but not worried. "You can't possibly consider beating me, a pureblood wizard, you lowly beings."

He then started casting. Whatever it was, Harry didn't wait for Draco to finish the spell, as soon as the first syllable came out of his mouth, Draco's wand was plucked out of his hand. The ponce looked surprised, as if he couldn't expect it.

Before Draco could think of what to do, Harry felt himself get really cold. Looking farther, he saw Malfoy's cronies hugging themselves tightly against the cold. Harry looked quickly around him. There was nothing behind, yet the coldness seemed to come from the front, a bit farther than Draco and his cronies. It only took a moment before he saw the tall silhouettes of two Dementors gliding out of the tree cover, approaching Crabble and Malfoy, who stood closest to the trees.

Draco seemed to turn even paler than usual. His face contorted in an expression of terror, yet no sound came out of his mouth. Harry felt like he was momentarily frozen in place, before he managed to change track in his mind. He did his best to recall all the happy memories he had with his dad, with Liz, with his siblings and especially with Hermione. _"Expecto Patronu_ _m_ _!"_ he said, pointing at the dark abominations.

A silvery cloud came out of his wand, quickly getting the form of a proud stag with big horns. Harry noticed another silvery apparition jumping forward, charging the nearest Dementor. His own patronus looked around, found the other Dementor and charged forward.

Malfoy was already whimpering as the Dementor held him, moving its head closer. He was sure he would never see his father again. Then a bright apparition came forward, pushing the Dementor away. Another silvery apparition passed him, pushing away the Dementor that was attacking Crabble.

As he was slowly recovering, he looked around, expecting to see Potter on the ground, just like him, and a Professor who was able to cast a patronus. He was surprised to see Potter and his friend standing together, wands at alert, scanning the area around them. He saw a silvery stag and a silvery doe still prancing around, and then looking at the two Gryffindors before losing their forms and vanishing.

"What was that?" he asked, not sure who could answer.

Potter didn't answer. He seemed quite worried. "Are you two alright? Did the Dementors do anything to you?"

Draco couldn't understand this. Had the Dementors attacked Potter, he would certainly not been worried for him. He would have fled as soon as he saw them. Yet Potter… No, it couldn't be true. No third year could cast a patronus. Very few adults could. And yet… he could see no adult around.

"I think I'm fine, only colder than I ever felt. Why do you mind, though?"

Potter sighed. "It may be stupid of me, but I think that even you don't deserve to get a Dementor's kiss."

Draco could say nothing. He looked around, noticing Crabble still lying on the ground, whimpering lightly, and Goyle looking at the scene as if stunned.

"Harry, we should do something about them. They need to go to the hospital wing. Exposure to Dementors can do some damage, you know." Hermione seemed even more concerned than Harry. Why should the Mudblood care? Had Draco been in her place, he would have been glad to get rid of his tormentors.

Harry looked at her. "I'm not sure what we can do. The Dementors didn't have a chance to do any damage, as I can see. They can go on their own to see Madam Pomfrey."

"They can barely stand! We must help them," the girl insisted.

It was a strange sight when they reached the hospital wing. Draco stood in the middle, leaning on his two body guards at his sides, and they in turn were half carried by Harry and Hermione, who seemed to be almost crushed by the weight. Madam Pomfrey led them in and helped the Gryffindor students to settle each of the Slytherins on a different bed.

"What happened?" she asked, once her patients were settled.

"Dementors. Hermione and I were going along the lake's shore when Malfoy and his friends ambushed us. They had no chance to do much, as two Dementors appeared. One attacked Malfoy and the other Crabble. Luckily, Hermione and I were able to produce a patronus each."

The healer seemed doubtful, but turned to her patients. It didn't take long to find out that they were all suffering from exposure to Dementors, with Crabble and Malfoy being most affected. Goyle was able to tell her a bit more. "Draco thought that finding these two alone would allow him to punish them for acting as if they're better than him. We didn't notice the Dementors following us. They grabbed Draco and Vincent and almost kissed them. Then these two produced the patroni that made the Dementors flee. Once we were safe, they offered to help us here."

It was evident that no real damage was suffered. The healer gave each of her patients a bar of chocolate and insisted that Harry and Hermione take one each as well. She then moved to her room and used the floo to call the headmaster and the heads of houses of the involved students. Not unexpectedly, Snape was the first to arrive. He immediately turned to Harry with a menacing expression. "Potter, what have you done to Malfoy?!"

Harry shrugged. "Saved him from Dementors?"

"You can't possibly do that! Ten points from Gryffindor for lying to a teacher!" He was turning to his students, yet Harry wouldn't accept that.

"Professor, I suggest you check the facts first and then form your opinion. Not the other way round," Harry said, barely controlling his rage.

Snape turned back with a predatory smile. "Alright, but if you lied, I'll double the points and give you detention as well."

"That's fine with me," Harry replied.

It didn't take long for Snape to find the truth. Although Goyle was unhappy to say anything positive about the two Gryffindors, he told Snape what he saw. He then added, probably an afterthought, "I think we all owe them our lives."

Snape looked even more livid than usual, hearing this. He then turned to Draco, who seemed to be recuperating. "What did you see?"

"I didn't see the Dementors until one grabbed my hand and pulled me closer. I was sure I was doomed. Then a patronus sprang forward, pushing the Dementor away."

"Did you see who cast it?"

"I couldn't, as the Dementor was blocking my view, but once it was pushed away, I saw both of them," he motioned towards Harry and Hermione, "holding their wands protectively, and two patroni, a stag and a doe, were keeping the Dementors at bay."

Snape seemed to lose some of his animosity. He turned back to Hermione. "Can you really cast a patronus?"

Instead of answering, Hermione stood up and lifted her wand, being careful not to point it at Snape. _"Expecto Patronum!"_ she chanted, producing a beautiful doe that looked around, finding no enemy, and then lowered its head to let Hermione pat it, before disintegrating.

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	20. Life Debts

**20\. Life Debts**

Dinner that day included a lot of gossip. Although nobody had seen the incident, nor, so it seemed, the way they all reached the hospital wing, everybody seemed to know the basic facts and the rumors were adding much more interest to the event, that by itself was quite frightening. Before they finished dinner, a house elf popped near Harry and Hermione. "The headmaster asks for your presence in his office once you are finished eating. Both of you."

It was useless to ask the elf for more information, yet Harry wondered what the headmaster wanted. They'd both been thoroughly interrogated while at the hospital wing and they really had nothing to add. They still walked together to the meeting. As they opened the door, they were surprised to find Lucius Malfoy there. Remembering their previous meeting, Harry turned quite apprehensive.

Dumbledore invited the children to sit down, as he did, yet Lucius kept standing. He didn't seem happy at all when he turned to Harry and Hermione.

"Scion Potter, Miss Granger, let me thank you for acting swiftly and saving my son and his friends from a fate worse than death. House Malfoy now owes you a life debt, as do house Crabble and house Goyle. We're willing to pay you as much as you want to settle this life debt."

Harry could feel Hermione's surprise, just as she could feel his, but even without talking, it was evident what they were going to say. "Lord Malfoy, house Potter doesn't need more money and doesn't want any payment in gold. What my friend and I want is for the scions of the houses you mentioned, as well as their lords, to stop acting against us, against my family and my friends. If you do that, we'll consider the life debt paid."

Lucius grimaced. He certainly expected to buy the debt with gold, considering such young children unable to phrase their request in a way that would strip him of much. This request, though, was much more problematic. It meant stopping to badmouth half-bloods and muggle-borns, it meant stopping his long-time crusade for the pureblood dominance, it meant a profound change in his and his family's life, alienating his current allies and forcing him to seek the company of his long time enemies. He doubted he could do this, yet failing... He didn't even want to think about that possibility. He wondered if he could negotiate better terms.

"Scion Potter, that request may be a bit hard on us. Maybe we could..."

Hermione stopped him. "Lord Malfoy, this is non-negotiable. Even if you manage to persuade Harry, I will not give up on this request. I severely doubt Harry will either."

Harry thought he could give in just a bit. "If you accept this form of repayment, I promise to try and teach Draco the Patronus charm. I can't guarantee success, though."

Lucius knew he had no choice, really. Once Goyle had acknowledged the life-debt, there was no going back. The two children didn't even need to put that condition, as the life debt would act to prohibit such acts until it was fulfilled. He knew he was defeated. "Very well, I'll make sure that my son and his friends, along with their parents, know of this. You may expect to get a letter from each of the two lords, or maybe even a personal visit to that effect."

Harry and Hermione nodded their acknowledgement. "Now, if you don't mind, I need to tell my son about this and try to persuade the Minister to remove the Dementors. Goodnight to you all."

With that, Lucius hurried out of the room, barely controlling his rage. That idiot minister put Dementors near a school full of children, many of whom were pureblood. Could he not see that they would pose a real danger? Now, because of that idiocy, three respectable pureblood families had to change practically everything about their lives. He conveniently forgot that he was the one who had suggested using the Dementors to start with.

Dumbledore waited until he was sure that Lucius left the tower before speaking. "Do you understand the meaning of this life debt?"

Harry shrugged. "My guardians talked about this a few times, but not in great detail. Can you enlighten us?"

The headmaster sighed. "It was very wise of you not to accept money, nor any material compensation for the debt. The way you chose will force these three families to never act along with the dark families. They may not turn light, but they have no choice but oppose any action against halfbloods or muggle-born. As Malfoy has been the prime mover in that direction, this change may turn extremely significant."

Harry knew most of it. James had taught him and Hermione well. He still shrugged. "Whatever. As long as Draco Malfoy leaves us alone, it's a good thing."

Dumbledore smiled. "It's much more than that, but maybe you need to grow up a bit before you can comprehend all the implications. I think you should now return to your dorms, as we're close to curfew. Goodnight."

They walked back hand in hand, until they reached the owlery. Hermione took some parchment and quill from her bag as they both wrote a letter to James. A short while later, they arrived at the common room just before curfew time.

The common room seemed more in turmoil than usual. Ron was the first who spotted them coming. "Why did you bother to save Malfoy? We'd all have been much better without him," he said furiously.

"He's been quite a nuisance since first year, but even that is not reason enough to let him get a Dementor's kiss. Besides, that may prove smarter in the long run," Harry answered.

Ron didn't seem to agree, yet Neville, as well as a few older students, gasped, clearly becoming aware of the implications. "He now owes you a life debt, doesn't he?" Neville asked.

Harry only nodded and smiled. This didn't make the common room any quieter. Many more conversations started, raising the noise level even higher.

Neville approached the two. "Did you ask for any compensation? I hope you didn't, as that's even better to keep Malfoy at bay."

Harry smiled. "We only asked him to stop acting against us and our friends. I think he would have liked to pay some money and forget about it, as he seemed quite worried about our request."

Neville smiled back. "That was really smart of you, as that request is in line with what the life debt forces, and as it can never be fully repaid, unless you put a time limit, he'll have to change his ways, or suffer the consequences."

"What can the consequences be?" Hermione asked.

"That depends. A minor infringement may make one ill. Severe ones may cost one his magic or even his life. Nobody in his right mind would knowingly act that way."

Harry shrugged. "Well, let's wait and see if they have any mind at all."

The next morning, Draco and his cronies seemed to sit alone at the Slytherin table. Not even Pansy sat near them. Harry wondered what caused that

It didn't become much clearer when Draco finished eating and approached the Gryffindor table, looking like he was doing this against his better judgement. He stood in front of Harry and said stiffly, "Scion Potter, Miss Granger, I thank you both for saving me and my friends from the Dementors. My father explained to me that this has created a life debt and the way I need to act due to it. He didn't tell me for how long, though. Can you tell me?"

Harry smiled. "There's no time limit."

Draco frowned. "What do you mean by 'no time limit'?"

Harry's smile widened. "It means you'll have to respect muggleborn and halfblood wizards and witches for the rest of your life. I thought that was self evident."

Draco grimaced at that. He was evidently furious, barely controlling his actions, yet he dared not say anything that would go against the life debt. Harry was sure that Draco knew even better than him what the penalties could be. Still, he thought he should make it a bit easier for the blond ponce. "I'm not sure if your father told you, but I promised to try and teach you the Patronus charm. I think you may need another day or two to come to terms with what happened, and then we may set some times for these training sessions, if you like."

Draco nodded, as if he already knew. "Very well. We shall talk later."

He left the Great Hall quickly, almost forcing his body guards to run. Harry didn't know why.

It started turning clearer later, as the gossip reached him. It seemed like the Slytherin house was not too fond of Draco to start with, and once it became known that house Malfoy was now having a life debt to house Potter, disabling it from acting the way it had been acting for many years, Draco lost all of his influence there. Instead, many considered him a mindless bully so stupidly creating a life debt. Many wondered why he had even been sorted to Slytherin, the house of the cunning. He was practically ostracised in his house.

Harry didn't really mind. The life debt was disabling Draco and his cronies from acting against him and Hermione, and the other Slytherin had never seemed too interested in them, one way or the other.

It also looked like Lucius Malfoy did as he had promised and succeeded in persuading the minister to remove the Dementors from Hogwarts. That evening. Dumbledore was glad to announce at dinner: "As of this morning, all the Dementors were moved away from Hogwarts and no longer pose a threat to the students. I'm glad that the minister has finally agreed that these foul creatures shouldn't be anywhere near a school. I hope that without their depressing proximity, you shall all be able to put more effort into your studies."

Harry started teaching Draco the Patronus charm a few days later. While Draco had no problem learning the pronunciation and the wand movement, he seemed unable to recall any happy memory to power his Patronus.

"Try to recall something that made you happy. It may be some time spent with your parents or your friends, or an unexpected success. Just try to recall such a memory."

Draco seemed to concentrate, and then sat down, looking defeated. "Damn it, Potter! I cannot recall any happy memory! I'm not sure I even have any."

"But your parents love you. Can't you find something happy with them?"

Draco shook his head. "Mom has no say in my life. I can't even remember her giving me a goodnight kiss, ever. My father forbade it. He wanted me to grow up strong and tough. He rarely praised me, and it was usually mixed with rebuke, so it never was a happy experience."

"You surely have some friends..."

"None! I have allies and I have servants, like the two bookends that follow me, presumably to keep me safe. My classmates only listened to me due to my father. Now, with this life debt, they lost all respect to me and my family."

Harry was at loss. He never suspected that the Slytherin prince had such unhappy life, yet lacking happy memories, it was impossible for him to cast a Patronus. This made him think.

"You know, if that's the way your father raised you, maybe it's time to get out of his shadow and start acting on your own? Everyone needs friends and people who really care for him and people he cares for, although some may consider it a weakness. I'm sure you can make friendships, if you really want to. You may need to let go of many of your father's teachings to achieve that, but I'm sure you'll like the trade-off."

"How can I make friends?" Draco asked, sounding quite lost.

Harry wasn't so sure what to say, and he doubted Draco would listen to Hermione. Maybe some time later, after learning a few basic emotional skills, but not at the moment. He tried to think what Hermione would say, and then it came to him, as if she was speaking in his mind. "Well, I suggest you start by listening to people and trying to understand how they feel. You'll have to be quite attentive and pay special attention to nuances in voice and posture, but it will become natural after a while."

"Why should I do that?"

"Because friendship is based on feelings, not on interests, just like happiness. Material things can't make you happy; they can make you content, at most. Real happiness comes form immaterial things, like love, friendship, care..."

"Father never mentioned them, except as weaknesses."

"Well, I told you some people may regard them as weaknesses, but they are what can give one happiness, what makes life worth living. Otherwise, we're not much better than mere animals, no matter how powerful we are."

Draco sighed. "I'll have to think of this." He then thought for another moment and smiled bitterly. "If that's what it takes to cast a Patronus, no wonder my father never mastered it either."

"That may really be the cause," Harry responded.

\/\/\/\/

The rest of the year passed eventlessly. Harry enjoyed his DADA lessons the most, and Professor Lupin was even able to cover quite a few topics they should have learned the previous two years, despite being ill a few days every four weeks. Some boys snickered that he acted like a woman getting her period regularly. Some more observant students noticed that the days of illness coincided with the full moon. A few even suspected that he was a werewolf, but as he was a good teacher and a very kind person, nobody tried to make a fuss about it. Malfoy, who had always been the one to stir trouble, kept his mouth shut this time, as he'd noticed how close Harry and Hermione were with this man. He wouldn't risk activating some obscure punishment due to his life debt.

Draco was improving, though. As his house mates ignored him, he started spending some time with people from other houses. He couldn't make the Gryffindor students accept him, but the Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff students were willing enough to give him a chance.

Both Harry and Hermione were disappointed to hear that Moony decided not to keep teaching. "Some parents were becoming very worried about a werewolf teaching their children, and I can't honestly say that they have no justification for their worries. If ever I forget to take the Wolfsbane on time… Well, it could get quite messy."

"But you are the best teacher we had on DADA!" Hermione said.

"Well, if everything goes according to plan, your next teacher should be even better. Just wait and see..." Remus told them with a wink. It was clear he wouldn't tell them anything more.

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	21. Quidditch World Cup

**21\. Summer 94 – Quidditch World Cup**

Harry was looking forward to the summer vacation. It was more than a respite from studies, as he saw it. Summer vacation meant spending time with his siblings, whom he missed quite a bit during school term, enjoying the warmer climate of France and being able to spend most of his waking time close to Hermione with nothing separating them. He knew they would also advance their relationship some more, as expected at their age, although he didn't know how far.

Just like the previous years, both families spent most of the summer vacation together. Harry was fascinated when he first saw Hermione on the beach. During the school year, her body had changed some more. She no longer looked like an adolescent girl; she looked like a very impressive young woman and he felt unable to take his eyes off her.

"Harry, breathe!" she reminded him.

He blushed and tried to look away, yet his eyes turned in her direction immediately, as if magnetized. "You're fabulous! I didn't think you'd turn so..."

"Sexy?" she teased him.

Harry blushed some more. "That as well."

She checked him over. "You've also grown quite a bit. you're now looking more like a man than like a boy. You're also reacting like a man."

Her eyes were directed at his crotch, where his opinion of her sexiness was clearly evident. She then mellowed and smiled reassuringly at him. "I'm not yet ready for that, and I think you're not ready either. We probably need another year for that, but I really like it when you look at me in whatever way, and I also like to see you, especially when you get excited at seeing me. Does it make sense?"

He took her hand in his. "I'm not sure, but we'll go through this together, as always."

"Right. Let's go into the sea!"

They were on a sandy bay that was quite shallow at some places but also had some deeper stretches, more suitable for swimming. They opted for one of them. It was still shallow enough to stand there, as the water reached only to their chests.

They swam a few minutes, but tired quickly, not having exercised those muscles since the previous summer. Standing at the edge of the deep area, they tried to regain their breath. Harry was fascinated by the way her half submerged breasts seemed to float in the water. Hermione was watching his expression with delight. None of them noticed a sudden wave. It came roughly behind her and pushed Hermione onto Harry. He suddenly felt her firm breasts pressed tightly to his chest, while his quite hard erection pressed on her abdomen. Yet Hermione wasn't stable enough on her feet. Harry felt her slip and quickly hugged her, keeping her standing. This also caused them to press even harder into each other. Both blushed at the unexpected contact. While they had already talked about taking their relationship to a higher level, that was something they were planning for the future. They still parted reluctantly.

"I'm sorry," Harry said.

"What for? You did nothing wrong. I actually appreciate it that you kept me from falling."

"But... I... we... touched..." Harry didn't seem to find the right words.

Hermione took both his hands in hers. "Harry, right now we're still a bit too young, but as we're going to be married, we're expected to be as physically close as possible. You know we need to practice sex if we want some children, don't you?"

This only made Harry blush deeper. Hermione wouldn't relent. "It would be inappropriate for us to touch each other so intimately when dressed and when we have company, but I really don't mind if you touch my body and I hope you don't mind if I touch yours."

Harry nodded. He couldn't say he disliked the feeling of their bodies touching so closely. Yet it also frightened him. Still, if Hermione didn't mind... He could certainly enjoy it.

None of them was aware of Jean watching them attentively. She was sure that her daughter was not yet ready for sex. She was just as sure who her partner would be when the time came. In her heart, she was already thinking of these two as a couple. She only wondered when they would finally understand their feelings.

\/\/\/\/

This time they didn't follow their usual summer routine. As the Quidditch World Cup game was hosted by Britain that summer, and as both children had become quite interested in that sport, James bought them tickets. As much as he would have liked to go there too, he preferred to keep away from the wizarding world. At such an event, where so many wizards assembled, he was sure that somebody might recognize him. It was a chance he still didn't want to take.

They found an easy solution, though. Ron sent them an owl, bragging about his family gaining seats at the game, and as Molly had invited the children for the summer, like every year, James decided to take advantage of this. A few owl messages and a short floo conversation, handled by Liz from Diagon Alley, took care of all the arrangements. Liz escorted them to the Leaky Cauldron, from where they used the floo to reach the Burrow.

The first time Harry saw the Burrow, it was clear to him that such a building could never exist without magic. While not too evident while inside, once they went outside, Harry barely refrained from chuckling. "It doesn't look like anybody involved has ever learned about stability, gravity or sound construction techniques. It looks like an architect's nightmare!"

Indeed, nothing seemed to properly fit. Rooms seemed to be just thrown about, with some stairs and passages added as afterthought. Without magic, they were sure to turn into a pile of rubble. Yet that weird building seemed to be a warm home for a family of nine, none of whom seemed bothered by its weirdness. "Well, magical people tend to do some weird things," Hermione noted, "like wearing those ridiculous robes, using quills and turning their backs to technology."

Harry wasn't too happy to share a room with Ron, but didn't let it bother him – it was only for a night anyhow. They were awakened early the next morning in order to reach their portkey on time. Although this was not the first time for either Harry or Hermione to use a portkey, they still didn't like it.

They were fascinated by the view, once they arrived. The huge field was covered with a multitude of tents. Each having different size, form and colours. Many also displayed either the Bulgarian or the Irish flag, adding to the colourful image. In between, children were running and playing, wizards and witches were assembling in small groups for some gossip, and peddlers were spread all around, presenting their merchandise, advertising loudly and adding to the general impression of wholly unorganized fun.

Most families had some tents erected, as did the Weasley. Harry wondered why they even bothered. Arthur explained. "Too many magical people coming or going at once are bound to attract some attention of the Muggles. This is why the portkeys are scheduled in a way to not cause a concentration of traffic. Some people arrived as early as yesterday and the last ones are expected to arrive less than an hour before the game. The return journeys are going to be the same way, and most will stay here overnight, as we plan to do."

Harry nodded. It made some sense, although he doubted that the Muggles would notice several hundred portkeys more than they would notice the multitude of weird people in colourful robes using weird tents. Despite the guidelines set by the organizers, the large field with the tents looked anything but normal. Oh, well... Wizards didn't have the best logic, he already knew.

It was fun being there. Harry didn't even mind staying close with Ron and Ginny, as they were all too fascinated by what they saw. Harry bought some stuff, and gave presents even to Ron and Ginny, as a kind of repayment for their family taking him and Hermione along. He was still glad that their seats were not too close to the ones Arthur managed to get from the Ministry.

He was even gladder of that when he saw the Malfoys sitting quite close to the Weasley gang, as he didn't want to be anywhere near that bigoted family, despite the life debt mellowing its actions. Soon he got another reason to be glad.

As the Bulgarian team came into the field, Harry noticed the young and beautiful female dancers who came along. It wasn't difficult to identify them as Veela. Harry thought they were really beautiful and quite enticing, but a far cry from how he found Hermione. "Why are all these people acting like fools," he asked Hermione after the Veela started dancing.

Hermione looked at him and smiled. "Don't you know? They're using the Allure, a special kind of magic that makes them irresistibly attractive to all men."

Harry shrugged. "They're nice, I admit, but I find you more irresistible than any of them. I..."

He was unable to add any words, as Hermione just grabbed his head and kissed him for all her worth. He actually liked it.

By the time they let go of each other, Harry could see that Ron and the twins were only held back by the tall fences, as they all seemed to try to reach the Veela. Ginny was also holding Ron's arm, trying to force him back to the seat. Arthur didn't move, but his eyes were glazed over. Lucius Malfoy seemed to be in a similar predicament, and his wife was holding Draco tightly, as he seemed ready to jump down to reach the Veela.

Harry turned back to Hermione. "Not that I complain, but to what do I owe that kiss?"

Hermione was too happy to care. "Don't you know whom the Veela allure doesn't affect?"

Harry shook his head.

"Only one who feels real love for his mate is unaffected by Veela allure. You weren't affected, so..."

Harry smiled. "I've already told you that I love you, didn't I?"

"You sure did, and so did I, but this was a kind of independent verification. Now I love you even more!"

They enjoyed the rest just as well. Harry admired the fast pace of the game and was quite delighted to notice that his performance was on par with that of Krum, the star seeker of the Bulgarian team. They then joined the Weasley on the way back to the tents.

They were already settling into their beds for the night when some screams were heard. Arthur came in a moment later, looking agitated. "Go hide between the trees. Make sure not to lose each other. I'll join the Ministry officials, trying to put the situation under control."

Harry grabbed his wand and followed Ron and the twins out of the tent. They met Hermione and Ginny in front of their tent. Looking at the direction of the noise, and using Snow's enhanced vision, Harry noticed a few people in Death-Eater robes and masks. They were setting fire to tents and shooting curses in all directions.

Harry felt his fury rise. He felt Hermione coming at his side, her expression just as furious. It was suddenly very clear to him what was the right thing to do. "Don't wait for us," he told the twins, grabbing Hermione's hand and moving away from the tent. Once out of sight, they both took their wolf forms. They moved silently, tracing a wide semi-circle, arriving behind the masked group, before returning to their human form. "I'll use the wandless slicer. You set their robes on fire a few seconds later."

Hermione nodded. She knew the slicing spell. It was intended to cut equal slices out of a loaf of bread. That was what it did for most Wizards and witches, yet when an angry Harry put his magic into that spell, it could be lethal. She only hoped he would restrain himself a bit.

Harry moved his hand forward and swiped it in the direction of the group. Several cries of rage sounded, as most turned around, looking for the one who cast that spell. Harry swiped his hand back, putting a bit more magic into the spell. Most masks were cut to stripes, the faces behind them probably cut quite deeply as well. Before anybody could react, the robes started burning with blue flames. Some of the masked people were still able to activate portkeys and vanish. Others were not as lucky, as the cuts went too deep on their arms or their hands, or just destroyed their portkeys. These were soon surrounded by aurors and ministry employees. Hermione pulled Harry's hand. He understood. Just as stealthily as before, they returned to their tents.

The terrorist group only managed to destroy a few tents and injure a few tenants. The officials soon declared the incident over and urged everybody back to bed. The injured were given treatment and some replacement tents were brought for those who needed them. Harry and Hermione were still observing the proceeding from between the tents. It was evident that the Ministry was trying to downplay the incident.

Arthur was appalled to find them in front of their tents. "Why didn't you go with the others? It could turn very dangerous!"

"Sorry, I needed the loo and Harry stayed guard with me. By the time I finished, the incident was over," Hermione said.

Arthur looked around. The public toilets were quite a distance from the tents and somewhat out of the way. They could have been just as safe there, he assumed. "Well, where are the others?"

"I suspect they went to the trees. May we go back to bed now?" Harry asked, yawning quite convincingly.

"Yes, go in. I hope we shall have no other disturbance tonight."

Harry kissed Hermione goodnight as soon as Arthur moved away. They then went to their separate tents. Harry faked being fast asleep when the others returned, sparing himself some stories that Ron seemed disappointed not to have audience for.

"You missed all the action!" Ron told him in the morning.

"It's better that way. I don't like to put myself in dangerous situations, you know."

Ron just moved his head incredulously. Harry was glad not to let him dwell on it.

Liz was already waiting at the Burrow. "Are you alright? The Prophet is very vague about what happened, but that only made me more worried."

Harry stepped into her hug and hugged her back. "We're both fine. Nothing happened to us, except for a few minutes loss of sleep. Those hooligans are probably not so well though."

Liz looked at him with evident suspicion. "What happened to them?"

Harry shrugged. "I heard that somebody retaliated with cutting curses and set their robes on fire. Most were unable to escape with portkeys."

Liz turned to Hermione. "I suppose you know no more either."

Hermione shrugged just the same. "We heard all kinds of rumours. How can we know what's true? What I know for sure, though, is that Harry proved immune to the Veela allure. Isn't that great?"

It was clear to Liz that Hermione was trying to distract her, yet it was also clear why Hermione would consider this more important. She just smiled at the girl, hugging her just the same way she was hugging Harry.

They returned home a few minutes later. Hermione crossed the street, to put her belongings back. She soon returned and joined Harry as he started telling his parents the real story.

"...so, anybody who took part in it and managed to get away can be found by the parallel cut marks and the burn signs," Harry concluded.

James sighed. "I'm not glad that you put yourself where it could become dangerous. You did well, though, and as none of you used your wands, there's no easy way to connect the event with you. Unfortunately, your marks may not be very helpful. Those captured will probably be able to escape with just a minor fine, and those who escaped may use the services of some healers. They may stay home for a few days, until they recover, but that will not stop them. As long as the current minister leads the country, I can't see any decisive action taken against any pureblood, no matter what one is accused of."

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	22. Goblet of Fire

**22\. Fourth-year – Goblet of Fire**

Back at school, Harry couldn't get rid of the worries, once the Triwizard tournament was announced. "I have a bad feeling about it," he told Hermione. "I fear somebody will make me take part in it, whether I like it or not."

Hermione gave it a thought. "I'm not too happy about it either. I'd rather have some more Quidditch. Actually, if it was a series of Quidditch games, it would have worked much better in making the students closer, especially if each team had students from all schools."

Harry smiled. "A nice idea, but I doubt it will be adopted. Now, what can we do in case I'm forced to take part?"

"We can't plan much yet, as we don't know how the champions will be chosen. I suggest we work on our wandless casting and think of ways to ridicule the tournament until we have more concrete information."

Along with the other students, they cheered for the visiting schools. They weren't surprised to find that Viktor Krum was one of the visiting students. They had already read about him during the summer, before visiting the Quidditch World Cup games. They were both dazzled by the radiant beauty and sex-appeal of some of the French girls, and mostly one, whom Harry suspected to be a Veela.

As Halloween approached, Harry was becoming more nervous, especially since they still knew nothing about how the champions would be selected. Then, a day before Halloween, Dumbledore presented the Goblet of Fire, as the "impartial selector," and explained how only those who really wanted to participate should place their names there and then the restrictions placed on underage students, to prevent them from submitting their names.

Harry was furious. "There are so many ways to circumvent the goblet and its restrictions!" he fumed in Hermione's ears, yet keeping his voice low enough to assure nobody else could hear that. "Out of my head, I can already see at least three ways to put one's name in with no restrictions. I'm sure I can find some more if I put my mind to it."

"I'm sure of that," Hermione whispered back. "Now we need to devise a way to make it look like a joke if your name comes out."

Harry noticed the Weasley twins whispering to each other. Knowing them, he was sure that they were trying to put their names in. He wondered why they found it such a challenge.

They didn't sleep much that night. After everybody else left the common room, Harry and Hermione met there.

"We can't protect the goblet against somebody who puts my name in," Harry said sadly, "as we can't stand guard there the whole day and we don't know enough warding. I suggest we only make a plan to act if it spews my name."

"What do you think we can do?" Hermione was just as eager to keep Harry out of the tournament.

Harry seemed to have given it a thought already. "I'll make it spout the names of the headmasters and then the teachers and the students of all three schools."

Hermione smiled at that. "Maybe you should start with first-year? That would certainly make the goblet seem irrelevant."

Harry nodded. "We can do it." He waved his hand in the general direction of the headmaster's office. A moment later, seven long parchments landed on the table in front of him, each containing the names of one class of Hogwarts. Two more wandless spells brought him the names of the foreign students as well.

Hermione used some other spells to duplicate the parchments and then cut the duplicates into strips and add the school names, yet each strip had a number added to the school name, making each a unique school name. Harry summoned the list of school staff and proceeded to prepare it for the goblet. Hermione then packed all the pieces neatly, except the one bearing Harry's name, and shrunk them into a small envelope. Harry added the names of the remaining judges and then cast a fire-proofing charm. With their work finished, he sent the original parchments back to where they had come from.

"I'll banish this into the goblet on our way to breakfast. It will stay unharmed in there. If my name comes out, then I'll remove the shrinking and let the goblet spew the names. I'm sure that the confundus charm can work nicely on it, and there are others spells we've already read about that we can use," Harry told her, once they finished their preparations.

"No, I'll put that package in, so you can swear that you didn't put any name in and confirm that under Veritaserum, if necessary. You may still do the rest if needed," Hermione insisted. It was becoming very clear why the Sorting Hat had considered Slytherin for both children.

"Do you think that the twins will manage to do something similar?" Hermione asked.

Harry gave it a moment of thought. "No, they're still not able to think 'out of the box.' They'll probably try to circumvent the age line, although one can use other ways to put any name in, disregarding that line."

He was proved right when the twins tried to use an ageing potion to get past the line. Hermione noticed how all attention was focused on them and used that distraction to banish the small package into the goblet with nobody noticing. Harry felt much calmer knowing that he was ready.

His worries and his preparations were proven justified. After the three champion names were selected, a fourth piece of parchment came out, bearing his name. While Dumbledore seemed still unable to understand how this had happened, Harry moved his hand under the table and sent the spell to release the other parchments. He then stood up, declaring loud and clear, "I've not put my name in that goblet nor asked anybody else to put it there for me."

Just as Dumbledore started telling Harry to join the champions, another parchment came out of the goblet. Dumbledore caught it and frowned. "Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore? I know I didn't put my name in."

He had no time to contemplate it, as another parchment came out, one bearing Karakoff's name, and soon another, with Madam Maxime's name.

The headmasters started arguing. Harry didn't wait for them to come to any conclusion. He moved his hand slightly, making the goblet send the other names out in a kind of fountain, covering the floor around it in a thick layer of parchments, including all the names of those present at Hogwarts.

The noise and the confusion were hilarious. It became very clear that whatever the goblet was supposed to do was compromised, at least, making it and the supposed magical contract irrelevant. Yet nobody was able to tell if they could safely disregard it. The consequences could be very grave. A chosen champion who refused to compete could lose his magic, and no magical person would have liked this. Even Filch, the caretaker, who was a squib, didn't want to lose the little magic he still believed he had.

It took Dumbledore some time before he could control the chaos and make the students sit back quietly. "I'm sorry to say that the Goblet of Fire seems to be malfunctioning. The judges need to discuss this unexpected situation before I can say anything for sure. Until then, please consider yourselves to be chosen champions and say nothing that could be interpreted as a refusal to compete, as that may prove dangerous. I expect you all to leave quietly now. Mr. Potter, please stay a moment longer."

Hermione squeezed his hand comfortingly as she left the Great Hall. Dumbledore waited until all the other students left and then asked Harry to come to a side room, where the chosen champions and the other judges were already waiting.

"Why is he here?" Karakoff spat as soon as he noticed Harry. The Bulgarian headmaster seemed to have a certain antipathy to The Boy Who Lived.

Dumbledore didn't seem affected by the man's mood. "As the goblet started behaving erratically as soon as Mr. Potter's name came out, I believe we should first learn what happened before we can find out why and how to deal with it."

Both Karakoff and Maxime didn't seem to like the idea but said nothing. Dumbledore turned to Harry. "Did you put your name in the goblet?"

"No! I've already said so in the hall and I'm saying this again: I didn't put my name in the goblet nor asked anybody to do that for me. Whoever put my name in didn't have my permission, nor did he consider my interests, my safety or my life. I had no plan of trying to become a champion, nor have such now."

Dumbledore sighed. "How did your name get in, then?"

Harry shrugged. "Probably the same way your name got in. I'm quite sure you didn't put it there nor asked anybody to do that for you."

"Who did it, then?" Dumbledore asked, not quite expecting an answer.

"How could I know, Sir? I'm willing to give you a magical oath assuring you that I didn't put my name in, or be interrogated under Veritaserum if you like." Harry was quite sure about the headmaster's reaction.

"He should do just that!" Karakoff spat.

"'e's just a leetle boy," a feminine voice said. Harry looked around and found the French champion, Fleur Delacour there. She seemed to be at his side. He nodded slightly at her.

"No oath and no potions!" Dumbledore said. "I believe Mr. Potter. He's been a very level-headed student since starting Hogwarts. He wouldn't try to join such a dangerous tournament for fame or for money, as he already has both."

Madam Maxime seemed to want to contradict him, but then looked at the small child, who seemed even smaller compared to her, and kept her mouth shut. Dumbledore sighed as he looked at the other champions. "I believe you three to be the chosen champions, but until we can solve this fiasco, we can't give you any more details about the tasks ahead, as we may need to do quite a lot of changes. You should all go to your dorms now. We will let you know of any development."

He patted Harry on the shoulder, sending him out as well. Harry could still hear the beginning of the discussion inside before the door was closed. Hogwarts and the Ministry had to face a very tough beating, so it seemed.

Later that night, if one cared to look outside, one could see a cat going to the owlery. As it passed into the dark door, it was impossible to see it. Hermione transformed back, and Harry removed his invisibility cloak. His owl landed in front of him a moment later. Harry patted the bird and gave it a letter. As the bird flew out to the cold night, he put the cloak over the both of them and they returned to their dorms.

Although late, most students were still in the common room, discussing the events of the evening. "Whoever made the goblet act that way is a worthy prankster," Fred said.

"I wonder how it was done. It was certainly more elegant than our feeble attempt," George agreed.

"But putting the names of everybody at school in that goblet? I don't even know all the names. Where could one find them?" Lee whined.

"Don't be stupid," Hermione told him. "The headmaster has the lists of all students and staff. Probably of all visitors as well. One could easily get a copy from there, I believe. Putting them all into the goblet may be a bit more complicated."

"Do you know how to do it?" Fred asked anxiously.

She shrugged. "We can do some thinking together and find a way. It doesn't look too difficult to me."

Harry smiled internally. With Hermione helping them, the twins were bound to come with some more innovative ideas, not knowing that she put them in their heads to start with. Hermione helped them analyse the goblet's functions in a methodical way, and they were quick to notice its weaknesses.

"It chooses one champion from each school, but it has no knowledge about how many schools there are. In the past, some tournaments had only two schools while others had up to five or six. We could just put a name with a fictional school, and it would be selected, being the only one," George noted.

"And it doesn't seem to care about the age, or the headmaster would not have needed to draw that age line," Fred commented.

"One doesn't really need to walk and put the parchment in," Lee added. "We could just banish the parchments in and stayed behind the age line."

Harry joined the conversation as well. "It wouldn't have changed anything. Your name probably came out of the goblet, along with all other names, even those of first-year students. I wonder what the judges will do now."

The twins seemed amused. "Everybody will have to compete. They'll have to invent some tasks appropriate for each age. They wouldn't risk making even a single student lose his magic."

"We still have a chance," the other smirked.

After a while, Harry retired to his bed, feeling too tired. Hermione retired even earlier. They both needed some sleep after the shortened previous night.

\/\/\/\/\/

James felt quite proud of his son. What could easily become a very dangerous situation for Harry, turned into a formidable prank. There was still a bit of danger, but it was negligible. It also showed him how magically powerful Harry and Hermione were becoming, using complex magic wandlessly and practically silently. What magnificent pranks he could have played when younger, if he only had such abilities...

Remus came to visit that evening. After enjoying the prank, he turned more serious. "I don't like the way things are going at Hogwarts. Somebody put Harry's name in, intending to harm him, or worse, and he did that with Moody present... Maybe the old auror is no longer as capable as he thinks he is. There had been some weird events near his house shortly before he joined Hogwarts' staff, you know."

"Do you think he's turned dark?" James asked.

Moony shook his head. "No, that will never happen, but he could fall victim to some spells or potions, especially if he's no longer as capable as he once was."

"We'll tell Harry to watch him. We still need to congratulate Harry on such a large-scale prank."

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	23. Yule Ball

**23\. Fourth year – Yule Ball**

It took the headmasters several days to come to a decision. They couldn't risk not letting everybody take part, yet that meant some major plan changes. Each person would be assigned three tasks, well within his or her abilities, and these tasks needed to be finished within a month, so that the three chosen champions could continue with the original plan, assuming they still wanted to.

Harry didn't feel close to any of the champions, but he did hear some gossip and even overheard some conversations. "If zey can't make the choosing right, 'ow will they 'andle more difficult tasks?" he heard Fleur asking.

"I wonder if I can really trust them to set the tasks right," he heard Cedric Diggory say. He could fully sympathize with the older boy.

He didn't hear Krum talking. The Bulgarian was usually tight-lipped even among his classmates, but the rumours said he was very disappointed with the organization of the tournament and was reconsidering his participation.

Harry no longer minded, as it was clear that his participation would not be any different than Ron's or Dean's, and that was fine with him. Instead, he started paying more attention to Moody, his DADA professor. The man was weird by any measure. His way of talking, his magical eye, and even that flask he was drinking from. Harry wondered what was in that flask, as nobody needed to keep water handy, with so many taps at the castle, nor most other beverages. Yet the man seemed to be quite paranoid. One couldn't tell what he thought.

"What do you think that he drinks from that flask that he always carries?" Harry asked his classmates.

"Probably Fire Whiskey," Ron said.

"Water or pumpkin juice," Neville suggested.

"Maybe some kind of potion?" Hermione said, as she dragged Harry away. She then frowned. "He seems to take a few sips at an hour interval. I wonder if it has any significance."

"I remember researching about the Polyjuice potion during the second year, when I wanted to spy on Malfoy. You then let Kitty spy for us, but I remember that potion only lasted for an hour. One needed to take another dose after an hour, to prevent reverting to one's original form," Harry said.

"Don't you think its time for Kitty to snoop around our defence teacher?" Hermione asked innocently.

The next morning, Kitty seemed to form an attachment with the old, grumpy ex-Auror. Before and after meals, in between lessons and even after curfew, the cat would find him and rub on his leg, or jump to his lap. It even seemed to almost kiss the old man, putting its snout very close to his face.

Kitty was also able to find a way to reach into his office and his lodging, just the way many cats do when determined, visiting there during lessons, making sure not to be found and not to leave any traces. It didn't take too long for her to find some disturbing information. "His flask contains a potion that he brews himself. It seems to be on constant steeping, and he starts a new batch as soon as he finishes brewing one. It smells quite awful in his flask, although it has almost no smell before being poured into that flask."

"Do you think it's Polyjuice?" Harry asked.

"I know of no other potion with these attributes."

"What can we do to expose him?"

Hermione gave it a thought. "We can use a switching spell, replacing his polyjuice with some fast acting sleep potion. We have a double lesson on Thursday, just before lunch, If we switch it during the lesson, the polyjuice will expire during lunch, in front of the whole school."

"He may choose to eat in his office, as he often does," Harry pointed.

"I think Kitty can make him change his mind. I'll start dragging him for meals whenever I can. He seems to like Kitty, you know."

Indeed, Hermione seemed to need the loo each time they went for lunch. She used to leave her bag with Harry, who saved a seat for her. She would join him later, usually after Professor Moody had taken his place at the head table.

"Why don't you take your bag with you?" Ron asked her. Despite not being welcome, he still insisted on keeping their company.

"Where will I put it? The floor at the loo is not clean enough and you don't expect me to keep it on my back while there, do you?"

Ron just grimaced.

During their double lesson on Thursday, Moody took a sip from his flask about ten minutes into the lesson. He took a sip again about twenty minutes before the end of the lesson. Hermione had already prepared the potion, making it extra strong, and Harry used a distraction caused by Ron asking a stupid question, to switch the contents of the flask with the potion he was keeping in a small bottle in his bag. As he didn't touch his wand nor his bag to do that, nobody could suspect, not even Moody.

This time, Kitty made Moody take his time, arriving at the great hall about half an hour after the lesson ended. Hermione joined Harry a few minutes later. They were both talking with Neville, who sat on the next seat in the direction of the head table, so nobody could notice they were watching it expectantly. Ten minutes after arriving, Moody uncorked his flask and took a large sip of its contents. His face changed to an alarmed expression and he stood up, probably intending to leave, and then the potion took effect. His eyes closed and his body relaxed, making him fall back into his cushioned chair. Harry cast a wandless sticking charm, to make it impossible for Moody to leave that chair.

Dumbledore looked with some worry at his long-time ally. "Are you feeling well?" he asked.

A snore was all the reply he got. Yet a moment later, things became much more interesting. Moody seemed to quickly morph, losing his wooden leg and artificial eye and getting the natural parts instead. His face and body also changed, showing him to be a much younger man with blond hair. Dumbledore seemed to recognize him, and so did McGonagall and Karakoff. The headmaster cast a spell to bind the sleeping person with some heavy chains. Harry silently removed the sticking charm, once the man was securely bound. He couldn't hear what the headmaster told his deputy, but a moment later, McGonagall stood up, levitated the bound sleeping man and floated him out of the great hall.

The whole scene didn't pass unnoticed by the students. Somebody seemed to have recognized the blond man and the gossip passed like fire in a dry field, raising the noise to unprecedented levels. Dumbledore looked extremely worried as he tapped his goblet multiple times, to no avail, and then used his wand to sound some blasts, before it turned relatively quiet.

"I'm sorry to tell you that Professor Moody seems to have suffered some problem. All defence lessons are cancelled until further notice. We shall check and see what can be done and update you as soon as we can. Please finish your meal quietly. Thank you." Yet Dumbledore seemed to have lost his appetite, as did Karakoff and Snape. The three men, along with Madam Maxime, left the hall in a hurry.

Hermione pressed Harry's hand under the table. They both felt elated that their actions led to such a result. Harry felt quite sure that the fake Moody was the one who tried to put him into the tournament.

The discovery of the impostor seemed to have some more effects. The three chosen champions decided not to opt for the higher level tasks that had originally been designed, taking the simple tasks, like everybody else. By the end of November, all students (and staff) present at Hogwarts had performed the tasks, that were merely written exams appropriate for the level of knowledge expected. Only the seventh year students had somewhat more challenging tasks, and the three champions performed them all very well, eventually dividing the prize money between the three of them.

With the tasks finished, the visiting headmasters seemed quite eager to return home with their students. Dumbledore insisted on keeping another traditional event of the Triwizard Tournament – the Yule Ball.

Harry wasn't privy to the discussions held about this, and once the Ball was announced, he felt quite sure that he wouldn't have liked to be. Still, that brought a new set of problems with it. Should he invite Hermione as his date? It was kind of expected, yet they didn't want to seem too close, not to attract more negative attention. But if not Hermione, then who?

"You know, Krum asked me to be his date at the ball," Hermione told him one evening.

"What did you say to him?"

"I said I'll consider his offer. He then explained that it was strictly for the evening, as his girlfriend is waiting back home, yet his headmaster insists that he must have a dance date and he doesn't want one of his fangirls."

"Maybe you should accept his offer..." Harry didn't sound too happy about this, as expected.

"I'll only accept it if you find another date yourself. How about Parvati? She's quite pretty, you know, and she said she'd learned some dances."

Harry grimaced. Parvati was quite pretty, he had to admit, but she was also the "Gossip Queen." He wasn't sure that spending a whole evening with her was a good idea. It then occurred to him that she had a twin, Padma, who was a Ravenclaw. He thought he just might enjoy it better with a smart girl, one who was almost as smart as Hermione. "Maybe Padma would be better?" he suggested.

Hermione gave it some consideration. "Yes, that might work better, and Padma is just as pretty. Would you like me to help you with that?"

"Please… Being always with you, I have no experience in getting other girls interested. I'm still not sure about not being together, you know."

Hermione sighed. "We've already talked about it, Harry. We should both refrain from attracting more attention than we already get, being so close with each other. Besides, I don't want us to later feel as if we missed too much when growing up with only each other for company. I want us to feel that we really want to be together."

"I really like you, Hermione, and I'm not interested in any other girl, regardless of how pretty she may be," Harry said seriously.

Hermione smiled and patted his cheek. "I know, Harry, and I'm glad you feel that way. I feel the same about you, but we should still experience a bit of what being teenagers means."

"Oh, well… Just help me with Padma, please."

Hermione managed to talk to the Indian girl the next day. She then urged Harry to officially ask her to the ball. Padma agreed, as expected, and Hermione was finally able to give Krum a positive response.

The three champions were supposed to open the dances, and that made Harry feel thankful that he was not one of them. He had been getting more than enough attention already. He just sat at a table, along with Neville, who dated Ginny for the occasion, and Ron also managed to push himself close, having asked Parvati for his date. Harry felt thankful that Ron didn't sit at his side, at least.

Padma proved to be a good choice. She didn't blabber, and whatever she said was well thought of and delivered clearly and precisely. Harry enjoyed dancing with her as well. His parents had already taught him some basic dancing, and he even had a few chances to dance with Hermione during the summer vacations. Dancing with Padma, who was almost a stranger to him, was quite different. Although just as shapely, holding her in his arms didn't give him the same feeling, and her pretty face seemed lacking, despite being considered prettier than Hermione, at least by Hermione herself.

"Why did you agree to this date?" Harry asked her.

Padma shrugged. "I thought it could be an interesting experience. You and Hermione belong together, that's evident, so I had no real expectations, yet you look nice and Hermione said you could dance well, so... why not?"

"You are quite an attractive girl. You could have your choice, if you wanted," he commented.

"Well, I had it. Several boys, most older than you, asked me, but none seemed interesting enough. They only wanted to be seen with me as a kind of trophy, or thought I might be an 'easy prey' for them to enjoy. With you, I felt more secure, and you're certainly more interesting than them. Why did you choose me?"

Harry felt his face heat. "Well, as Hermione and I decided not to be each other's date, she suggested our classmates. She pointed at Parvati being quite pretty, but I didn't feel like I could spend a whole evening with her. I then remembered her twin, and thought that she's just as pretty, yet much smarter."

Padma smiled, seeming delighted with the compliment. "You should know that Parvati is just as smart, although this may not show too much due to her interest in gossip and her giggling. She's also braver than me, or I'd be a Gryf too."

Harry liked the way she defended her sister. "Didn't you expect to be together?"

Padma shuddered. "No! We're much better this way. We've been together until we came here, and it caused us to almost hate each other at times. We feel much closer now, having each her own friends and interests. We do spend some time together almost every day, you know."

Harry smiled. "I can see how being too close may cause problems. Maybe it's better that Hermione and I weren't that close."

Padma smiled. "You love her, don't you?"

"I think so. I'm going to marry her when we're older."

Padma laughed at that. "You are so sweet I could almost fall in love with you as well."

Harry just blushed a bit more.

He didn't spend the whole evening with Padma, though. Hermione wanted a few dances with him, as did Parvati and Ginny. By the time he escorted Padma back to her dorms, he felt like his feet were going to need a long rest. Hermione was still waiting in the common room. "How was your evening?" she asked.

"It was really nice. Padma was a very good partner, and yet the few times I danced with you were the highlights of the evening. No other dance partner gave me such a good feeling. How did you enjoy it?"

"I could feel that Krum was experienced in such events. He danced flawlessly and was a very considerate partner. I also danced a bit with Neville and with Dean, but I enjoyed dancing with you much better. I didn't really expect it to be any different."

"So, we're still together?" he asked teasingly.

"You bet!"

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	24. New Year

**24\. New Year**

The visiting schools only stayed a day longer to allow their students to get some rest. They parted the next day, in time to let the students celebrate the new year with their families. The Hogwarts students went home shortly after, all eager to tell about the weird tournament.

Liz waited with the Granger adults on the other side of the barrier, not too close. She hugged both children tightly, and they got even tighter hugs from Jean Granger. They refrained from talking about the tournament until they reached home. Hermione went with her parents first and after spending about an hour with them, crossed the street to the Potter residence.

Harry welcomed her with a tight hug, as if he'd not seen her for weeks. They chatted a bit with Harry's younger siblings before joining James in his study and closing the door.

James looked at the two with an appreciative smile. "I don't think there ever was a bigger prank played at Hogwarts than the one you two performed so brilliantly. You more than deserve to be considered Marauders."

Both teens blushed at the compliment, although they felt really proud. James turned serious a moment later. "Now, I think you should tell me everything that happened. Try not to skip any detail, as it may prove important."

It was quite late when they finished their story, recounting every minute detail that could possibly be meaningful. James's appreciation only grew as he better understood how these two planned and executed two grand pranks with not a single fault. He also became acutely aware of the dark forces targeting his son again. He was adamant not to give them any chance to succeed.

The next morning, James assembled a "War Cabinet," otherwise known as The Marauders. He had no doubt that with Moony's mind and Sirius's connections they would be able to do quite a bit. Although Sirius maintained a public image of a carefree playboy, as Lord Black he was also well connected, especially due to the Balls he was throwing at every plausible (or even implausible) occasion. Sirius also kept working as undercover Auror, when requested, which meant that he had very good working relationships at the top levels of the DMLE.

Remus didn't have the money or the social standing that Sirius enjoyed, but he had a very sharp analytical mind and had some different connections, mainly due to his affliction. Because of them, he could usually dig information that nobody else could, and James hoped that this ability would help them make a difference.

"Due to the public interest in the tournament, Dumbledore couldn't keep the events under cover," Sirius reported. "The DMLE was informed of what happened during the choosing of the champions. It couldn't identify the ones who tricked the goblet, but it was just trivial to do that. Even a second year, if he just put his mind to it, could enter his name in the goblet, and anyone of age could put any name in. The age line was no more than a joke, actually. Madam Bones was very unhappy with that and with all the security aspects of the tournament. Luckily, that prank made them mostly irrelevant."

"What about Moody?" James asked.

Sirius smirked. "That was also a very well played prank." He turned serious at once. "Dumbledore tried to play it down, as expected, but the DMLE interrogated the impostor under Veritaserum, gaining much more information about what one was required to do in order to gain the Dark Mark, and then a list of all marked Death Eaters that man knew. I'm not at liberty to recite that list, but I'm sure you wouldn't be surprised by most names. There was also information about what the impostor, in the service of the Dark Lord and in cooperation with our dearest Wormtail, intended to use Harry for."

"I thought we captured Voldemort at the end of Harry's first year," James noted. "How can he be free again?"

Sirius sighed. "It looks like Quirrel died due to the possession. The DOM failed to capture Voldemort's fleeing soul. They didn't advertise it, of course, and I only found about it now. Anyway, Voldemort's original plan was foiled, of course. Madam Bones is now trying to find some more information about what alternative plan they could have, and turn it against them."

"What can we do to make sure Harry stays safe?" James insisted.

"I'll check my sources for any suspicious activity or any signs of dark magic. While not necessarily connected to what we need, they may still give us some directions," Moony offered.

Sirius looked at James much more seriously than usual. "Prongs, I think it's time to let Amelia know about you being alive. You trusted her enough to make her a possible guardian for Harry. I believe you can trust her to keep your secret just as well."

James gave it a thought. "We are invited to Longbottom Manor for the new year feast. I may ask Lady Augusta to invite the Bones along. Amelia's niece, whom she's been raising since the war, is a classmate with Harry."

Sirius smiled and patted his shoulder. "Renewing old alliances may prove good for you and for Harry."

\/\/\/\/\/

The Potters had already visited Longbottom Manor a few times and Augusta was happy to see them again. She wasn't surprised to see Hermione with them either. She had probably been informed of the closeness between Hermione and Harry. Neville also enjoyed seeing both, despite being apart only a few days. When Susan saw Harry, she blushed a bit, but soon enough she let go of her shyness and joined the others in conversation. It was interrupted a short time later, when Amelia arrived, after tackling some work-related issues. As soon as she saw Mr. Jacques DePoitier, she had no doubts. "James! I wept so many tears for your demise, and now you're here alive and well! You need to pay back for those tears! How did you survive? What about Lily?"

James hugged her in a friendly manner. "I tried to use a doppelgänger to confuse Voldemort. He killed that and proceeded to the nursery before I managed to grab my wand. Lily was not as lucky."

"And why are you hiding?" Amelia insisted.

"Not really hiding. I have some widespread businesses and quite a few friends, but I stay away from the magical world. I suspect some people there are less trustworthy than they seem."

"You mean Dumbledore, don't you?"

James nodded. "My first suspicion came when he let Sirius be sent to prison without trial. I haven't yet found any proof of his intentions, as the man is extremely secretive, yet I found quite a few reasons to raise my suspicion even further. Now, don't you like to meet my wife and my children?"

Amelia mellowed just a bit. "Alright, but I want the complete story before we leave this place."

As James continued with the introductions, Susan turned to Harry. "So, Mr. DePoitiers is not merely your guardian, is he? He's actually your father, Lord Potter."

Harry smiled at the redhead. "True, but this should still be kept a secret. Dumbledore and his lackeys shouldn't know of this."

Susan looked solemn. "Nobody will hear this from me, I promise."

It was soon evident that Susan was a good friend with Neville, whom she'd known since they had both been toddlers. As much as Harry enjoyed the company, he felt that he liked to be with Hermione much better. That reminded him. "I thought you said you'd also invite Hermione's parents. Did you change your mind?"

Neville shook his head. "No, but they couldn't come. Her parents take part in the Dentists' Association New-Year Ball. They seem to have some role in organizing it. Actually, I thought you two would go to that ball."

Harry shrugged. "We were too young to take part in it until now, and Dad told me of this invitation as soon as I came home, so I had no chance to make other plans."

"My parents thought I would stay at school this holiday, as was the original plan. That's why they accepted the roles at the Ball. They couldn't just change plans on the last moment, you know," Hermione added.

"Don't you spend each summer vacation together?" Susan asked.

"Sure. We usually go to France in the summer. I still have some childhood friends there. The beaches are also much warmer than in Britain."

"I've heard most women go topless on the beaches. Is that true?" Susan blushed while asking.

"Yes, they consider it natural. On some beaches, one doesn't need to wear anything." Harry wasn't sure how the two purebloods would react to this information. Hermione also seemed a bit apprehensive at hearing this.

Neville turned completely red. Susan's face matched her hair, but she kept asking, "You've visited such beaches, didn't you?"

"Yes. Most people there are much older than us and don't look their best, and yet they all seem very relaxed."

"Were you also naked?" Susan's face was now redder than her hair. Neville just hid his face with his hands.

"Sure! It would have felt weird to be the only one dressed. I would have attracted much more attention that way."

"And Hermione, were you there as well?" Susan turned her attention to the other girl.

"Of course. We spend the whole summer together," Hermione responded as a matter-of-fact.

Harry could see some mischief in Susan's eyes, despite her red face, as she turned her attention back to him. "So, that's how she keeps you interested, isn't it?"

"No, really," he said with conviction. "We started spending time like that when we were both quite small, and it was just natural to keep doing that."

She turned serious and her face reddened some more. "Do you think I can join you this summer? Maybe Neville as well."

Neville lifted his head in alarm, hearing this, but she only grabbed his hand.

"Are you sure? What will your aunt say?" Harry asked.

"Auntie has already told me that she used to go there when she was younger. She stopped after... the war. I'm sure she wouldn't oppose. She may like to join as well." She turned to Neville. "Will you come with us?"

The poor boy was changing colours rapidly. It looked like he was unable to utter a word. Susan smiled at him and caressed his face lightly. Neville gulped twice, and finally said, "I'm not sure my Gran would agree."

"Don't you think that your Gran will be happy for you to spend the vacation with your friends? You don't need to tell her about those beaches, although I'm sure she already knows."

Neville seemed to gain some courage back. "Will you really go naked on those beaches?"

Susan shrugged, although her face got red again. "Sure. No need to attract undue attention by being different."

Neville took a few deep breathes before replying. "I'll ask my Gran. You need someone to keep you safe, and Harry is already taken."

Susan moved closer and kissed his cheek. "You're really sweet!" she said, making him even redder.

The adults had a much more serious discussion. They interrupted it for the festive dinner, but then spent some more time in a closed room. Harry didn't mind. He didn't feel like he could help much and he knew that he would willingly play whatever part they needed him to. Besides, the way Susan kept teasing Neville, he was becoming quite sure that she was contemplating becoming much closer to him, probably the way Harry and Hermione were becoming. He wondered if Hermione would mind exposing her body in front of Neville or if Susan's nakedness would disturb her. He felt quite sure that she wouldn't mind either. He would surely like to see Susan naked, although nobody could come even close to the perfection Hermione was for him.

As midnight was approaching, it was becoming perfectly clear who would be kissing whom for the new year. Harry held Hermione as tightly as she was holding him. As the year changed, they engaged in a long, tender and passionate kiss that held a definite promise of things to come. When they finally disengaged, they found Neville and Susan looking in each other's eyes as if hypnotized. Both had red faces and bewildered expressions.

"It looks like we're going to have company for the summer vacation, yet I'm not sure if any of them will have time for us," Harry whispered.

"They'll only have time for each other," Hermione agreed.

Harry laughed. This sound seemed to bring the other two out of their trance. Susan blushed harder and looked at the floor. Neville, although redder than normal, only asked, "Please don't tell my Gran or her aunt. We're not yet sure what this means."

* * *

 _ **Please Review!**_


	25. Resurrection

**25\. Resurrection**

Although Amelia had informed the minister of what the interrogation of the impostor brought out, he simply refused to believe most of it. "The man has spent years in Azkaban and then a few more years under Imperius. His mind must be in shambles. I can't accept anything he says as truth, even if he fiercely believes it is."

Amelia suspected that he simply didn't want to lose the financial support that he was getting from some marked death-eaters, especially Lucius Malfoy. The minister's reasoning was still logical, even if false. She couldn't really fight him. Nevertheless, she had all the arrest warrants ready along with the plan to arrest all suspects at once, so none would escape, yet she could do nothing without the minister's approval. It was an extremely frustrating situation.

Harry was blissfully unaware of this. Back at school, after the winter holidays, he felt quite content to continue his studies and even more so, to cuddle with Hermione while doing homework. He was content that their relationship was starting to become more physical, yet he didn't feel like rushing it. Just being together, feeling her warmth close to him, was making him happy. With the threats of the tournament and the impostor removed, it turned into quite a pleasant year.

\/\/\/\/\/

At his hideout, Voldemort was not happy at all. He had lost his servant and had to make a new plan. What unnerved him even more was the fact that somebody had played a prank on his plan in such a way that made it look childish. Had he been wrong to trust this plan to that servant? The man had seemed quite competent, though. He had managed to capture Moody and to fool the headmaster for quite a while, and it was somebody else who eventually made the truth surface. Voldemort only wished he knew who and how. Such a person could become a valuable asset in his service.

Well, nothing to it. He would use whatever he got to reach his goal. Although he would have liked to use the Potter brat for the ritual, also removing the threat that the boy seemed to present, he could use another. Any of his enemies would do. Dumbledore would be perfect, if only he could capture him, yet he couldn't trust his remaining servant to capture such a powerful wizard. Well, one of the leading officials at the ministry could also do. He would need to find someone who was too arrogant to stay well protected. That might hopefully still be within the rat's capability.

\/\/\/\/\/

Madam Bones had her plans ready. The only obstacle in her way was the minister, who wouldn't hear about anything that might incriminate the former Death-Eaters. He infuriated her to no end, and yet she knew that once something happened – anything that could make the public doubt him – he would agree to everything that could take the blame off his shoulders. She only needed patience. She still didn't take her job lightly. Once she had all the information analysed, she went to talk with the minister.

"According to the intelligence we managed to gather, all top officials may be a target to kidnapping attempts. As the top official at the Ministry, you are probably in most danger. I'd like to improve your protection, adding a few more Aurors, to guard you whenever you're out of the Ministry's building."

Fudge seemed furious. "You've already tried other methods to get a rise in budget, and now this. I can't approve of any more Aurors. Actually, I think I don't really need two Aurors to guard me at all times. One is quite enough, as we're living in peaceful times, and once I'm going home, I trust my wards to be more than enough. You can use the Auror I release from guarding me for whatever you wish."

"Let me reinforce your wards, at least," she tried to insist.

"Lucius has recently checked them, finding them more than good enough. No need to spend your limited budget on that. You'd do much better if you concentrated on some shady characters spotted near Diagon Alley."

Madam Bones shook her head sadly as she left that office. She was bound by her vows, but she was sure that the minister would not stay in office for long. She doubted he'd stay alive either.

\/\/\/\/\/

Voldemort was quite satisfied with the latest report from Wormtail. The minister had relaxed the security around his house, making it almost too easy to capture him and use him for the ritual. He only needed to wait for the right time. It could even turn much better for him than the initial plan. The best time to do the ritual, as he had found out, was during summer solstice. The last task had originally been planned for three days later, and he thought he had to compromise. With the new plan, they could do it right on time. It would go perfectly!

\/\/\/\/\/

'I need to get an exterminator,' Fudge thought, seeing yet another rat in his garden. He had lately seen rats almost daily, either when coming home or leaving it. This time, he was coming home after attending a charity ball. He was already at the door when he felt a wand pressed to his back. He didn't even manage to say a word, as he found himself petrified.

Voldemort was quite pleased with the catch, "Start the ritual," he ordered the rat-man. He would soon show his enemies what high a cost they would pay for standing in his way!

Amelia had been informed of the kidnapping almost immediately. Unknown to the Minister, she had cast a tracking charm on him and had it monitored closely whenever he was left without Auror escort. She wasn't really surprised that it happened. She only thought it would have happened sooner. Still, once her charm informed her where the minister was, she assembled the small Auror force that she had readied for such missions and led it to the cemetery at Little Hangelton. As they were approaching the place, they all used disillusionment and silencing charms on themselves, allowing them to come close to the huge boiling cauldron without being detected.

She wondered if they hadn't come too late. Mr. Fudge was tied to a headstone, his arm bleeding profusely. She hoped he wasn't dead, although she didn't feel any pity towards him. She was appalled when seeing the other man. She had no problem recognizing him as Peter Pettigrew, only his hand was missing and the stump was still bleeding. A stunner took care of him, and one of her Aurors used other spells to stop the blood loss and to prevent Animagus transformation. He also took the man's wand away.

With no other danger found, Amelia ordered the Aurors "Remove the disillusionment charms," after becoming visible herself. "Give the minister first aid," she told another Auror. Fudge didn't seem to lose much blood, but he was in deep shock. She sent him to St. Mungos with a portkey. Another portkey took Peter to a holding cell at the Ministry. Madam Bones also found two wands resting on one of the headstones. She recognized one as the minister's. She took them both.

Her attention returned to the cauldron, as the fire under it seemed to burn out and a bit of movement became visible in the liquid. "Take cover!" she said. The Aurors disappeared behind some headstones, aiming their wands at the top of the cauldron.

They didn't need to wait for long, as a figure seemed to stand out of the cauldron, with a horrible snake-like face. "Robe me!" it said, expecting its servant to act as ordered. As nothing happened, the figure, now recognizable as Voldemort, looked around, trying to find that errant servant. He only found several stunners hitting him all at once.

Minister Fudge signed the papers Amelia had given him later that night, while still at the hospital. He resigned a few days later, citing "health problems" as his reason.

A few tens of families had the Aurors visit them that night, taking away one or more members of the family, yet no word leaked to the press until the next day, when an official announcement was made by Madam Bones, "We've been gathering information since the impostor was found at Hogwarts. Under Veritaserum, he gave the information of how one got marked, proving that one needed to want the dark mark and do some horrendous crimes to prove 'worthy' of the mark. This made all the claims for 'Imperius' irrelevant. Therefore, we collected all known Death Eaters and had them interrogated. The Minister approved the use of Veritaserum, and they all confessed to having willingly done the dark lord's bidding. They will be put on trial during the next few weeks."

Another announcement appeared, hidden in the middle pages. "The Aurors had disrupted a ritual intended to resurrect the dark lord. The perpetrators were put to trial and punished according to the law." No further details were given.

\/\/\/\/\/

Harry stayed blissfully oblivious to most of these facts. He noticed some Slytherin students seeming quite worried, a few leaving school before the end of term, and then he saw the headlines. He only thought it was about time the Ministry did something about the information gotten from the impostor.

Draco also seemed to be among those who left early. Harry didn't really mind. Despite the life debt, Draco continued being a very unpleasant company. Harry was sure that whatever fate Lucius Malfoy met, it was still less than just repayment for the man's crimes.

Dumbledore seemed sad. Harry couldn't know why, although he suspected that the headmaster knew much more about the events. He still didn't care too much. His thoughts were going to the summer vacation, to the time he would spend with Hermione on the beach, possibly in the company of Neville and Susan as well.

He was quite glad that they spent the train ride with these two, sparing them Ron's company. They talked about what they'd like to do during the summer and where they would like to visit. With such pleasant company, the ride seemed to take no time at all.

As usual, Liz was waiting for him at the train station, along with the Grangers. Harry was surprised to see Amelia Bones waiting there as well, accompanied by an Auror, yet she first rushed to hug Susan closely and look her over.

"Each time you come home, you seem more mature and more beautiful. You remind me so much of your parents!" she told her niece.

Susan smiled, seeming proud.

Liz was glad to meet Harry, as always. She hugged him tightly and then looked him over. "You're growing up; you're almost a man already!"

She then turned her gaze to Hermione, who was being welcomed by her parents. "Have you…?" she asked reluctantly.

"We're not rushing anything," Harry replied. He really didn't feel like accelerating the pace and getting more physical, although he was quite sure it would happen soon, maybe even during the summer.

Once all the hugs and kisses ended, Amelia approached them. "I expect to be quite busy for a few more weeks, but Susan will join you on your vacation from the start. The Grangers were kind enough to invite her to stay with them until then. I hope I can join you all with only a few days' delay." She then turned to Liz. "May I join you for a short visit. There are a few things I'd like to tell your husband."

Liz smiled. "I'm sure he won't oppose such a visit, but I don't think he'd like your escort."

Amelia smiled. "Oh, I believe he will. They used to be quite close during Auror training, and Shack knows he needs to keep it secret."

James was really happy to meet his friends. After the initial surprise, Shack was also quite content. Amelia enjoyed the family reunion, as Harry got a very warm welcome from his siblings. The love they all shared was very evident.

* * *

 _We're approaching the end. Now. despite having it all written, I'm not quite happy with what I've written as the last few chapters and I'm open for suggestions. I don't promise to accept and implement every or even any of the suggestions, but hopefully, some can help me rewrite the end of this story in a more satisfying way._

 _And as always, **Please Review!**_


	26. Summer 95

**26\. Summer 95**

Susan liked staying with Hermione and learning about the Muggle way of life. It also helped that Neville came almost every day to visit Harry. The four teens enjoyed being together, chatting, watching TV, going to the cinema and even shopping a bit.

"I've never known Muggles had so much fun," Susan told them. "It looks like magical Britain doesn't know a lot about the Muggle way of life."

Hermione smiled. "Wait, I still hadn't shown you the computers and the Internet. I'm sure you'll love them."

Actually, Susan didn't like some aspects of Muggle London. She found her first time on the Underground to be quite traumatic, and the next time not much better. "I don't mind that train going underground, but there are so many people! I've never known there are so many muggles in Britain."

Hermione smiled understandingly. "The magical communities are really small and secluded. There are only a few thousand magical people in Britain, but there are several millions of Muggles, and many tend to live in large cities. I've visited New-York when I was much younger, and London looks like a small town in comparison. It was quite overwhelming."

Neville found it hard to believe. "You mean to say that New-York is much bigger than London? That's… unbelievable."

"I'll show you the numbers when we reach home. We may even check on the Internet," Hermione promised.

They still saved some time for cuddling in pairs, with each couple opting for a secluded bench in one of the smaller gardens, either in London or in that small town in Kent, where they lived. Harry liked those times best.

As Dowager Longbottom didn't plan to join the younger people on vacation, Neville came to stay with the Potter a day before the departure. Both he and Susan were extremely excited, as this was going to be their first time abroad and their first flight in a plane. Although the Potter house had a Floo connection, James preferred the Muggle transportation this time, to give the youngsters another taste of Muggle technology.

The first impression the two purebloods had when approaching the airport was, "It's huge!" There was no structure in magical Britain even close to this size. Once they reached the terminal building proper, it turned into, "So many people!" Even the crowds at the underground seemed insignificant compared to the number of people who were standing in what looked like interminable queues. The group still joined one of them. Hermione pointed at the large boards posted everywhere and explained in a hush. "Each flight has a unique combination of letters and numbers. These appear on the flight ticket, and you can find your flight on one of these boards. It indicates where you should check-in, which means where they take your luggage and check that you really are on the list. We then have to go to another hall, where they check our passports before going to the boarding area, where, once again, we must check the boards to find the exact boarding gate. It's much simpler to do than to explain, as you'll soon see."

The queues advanced quite quickly, and soon enough they were heading to the boarding area. "The shops around are supposed to be tax-free, but most of the prices are no cheaper than what you may find in other stores," Hermione explained. "Their main attraction, though, is the distraction they provide while waiting. Some also have quite good merchandise."

They stopped at one shop that had perfumes and other cosmetics. "You may prefer that other shop," Hermione told the boys, pointing at an electronics shop. The adults acted similarly, only insisting everybody comes to the boarding gate on time.

Neville was not too interested in the electronics shop, mainly because he had no use for it, as nothing would work in a magical environment, as far as he knew. Instead, he looked at a clothing shop, where some very daring swimsuits were on display. "Do women really wear these?" he asked Harry, his face turning red.

"Of course they do. Some are not ready to really expose themselves completely, yet they want to show as much as possible." Indeed, some of these swimsuits looked not much larger than three stamps with some thongs connecting them. "Don't bother about them, though. Most places we're going to visit allow full nudity, and nobody bothers with swimsuits."

This didn't seem to have the desired effect on Neville, as he turned even redder, before dragging Harry to another shop.

The girls arrived there a bit later. "Do you have any swimwear with you?" Hermione asked Susan.

"I have a one-piece, full body swimsuit. Do you think it would do?"

Hermione grimaced. "Only old ladies still wear that kind. How about this one?" She was pointing at one of the miniature suits.

"Is it even legal to wear so little?" Susan wondered, blushing nicely.

Hermione shrugged. "As long as your genitals are covered, nobody's going to protest. Then, most of the time we're going to be where even this is too much."

Susan bought such a bikini suit, in a colour similar to her hair, and a white one, a tad less revealing. "When wet, it's almost transparent, but still legal," Hermione had told her. This seemed to help Susan decide.

Excitement rose again as they started boarding. "How can so many people fit in one plane?" Neville asked.

"I'm sure they all fit nicely, and this isn't even a big plane," Harry reassured him. "The bigger planes can take all the students in our school along with the staff and still have some empty seats."

"Wow!" was all Neville could say.

The interior of the plane proved much less exciting. In a way, it looked like a long and wide bus with small windows. As expected, Neville sat with Susan at his side, while Harry and Hermione sat a row behind them. "What are these?" Susan asked, pointing at the pocket in the back of the chair in front of her.

"Well, you have the brochure of how to act in case of emergency, along with some less important brochures and a sick-bag, in case you get sick on the flight," Hermione explained.

"What do you mean by 'emergency'?"

She shrugged. "I've never encountered one, but various things can go wrong during a flight, and the airlines must assure the safety of the passengers in such case. We shall have a short explanations given before take-off."

"Why do people use air planes if they're not safe?" Susan sounded quite frightened.

"They are safer than the buses or the underground, but flying so high, if one panics in an emergency, it can cause greater damage than on the ground. You should pay attention, but you can be quite sure to not need any of this."

Indeed, as soon as the last passenger boarded, the stewardesses made a short demonstration and then took their seats, ready for take-off.

The rest of the flight proved quite anticlimactic. After a long wait and a short take-off, they reached cruising height, well above the clouds, and could see nothing through the windows except for an occasional glimpse between the clouds. Landing proved not much better, as once they reached below the clouds, there was no time to even look outside before reaching the airport.

Some additional waiting in queues and then a short taxi ride took them to a hotel in the Paris. "We're going to visit some museums tomorrow," Liz told the youngsters. "Now, I suspect the boys will have to share one room and the girls another. We shall settle in our rooms and then take a tour of Paris at night, including dinner."

Harry thought nothing of the way they were allotted their rooms. He noticed Suzy and Hermione whispering to each other, but paid it no attention. Girls were always having some private conversations, so it seemed. He helped Neville settle, as this was (another) first for the shy boy – staying in a muggle hotel room. A few minutes later they heard a knock on the door. Harry opened it, finding Hermione and Susan standing there, both seeming refreshed. He noticed that they even changed clothes, wearing nice summer dresses with lots of exposed skin. He admired both girls, and smiled appreciatively. Neville, who also came to the door, seemed to turn red and lose his tongue.

"Don't you like my new dress?" Susan asked him teasingly.

Neville gulped a few times before he could control his voice. "You look fabulous in that dress. It shows… quite a lot of you."

Susan shrugged contentedly. "Remember, in a few days you'll see all of me. You shouldn't lose your voice each time you see some more skin exposed than you've been accustomed to."

Neville just nodded, his eyes stuck to her quite low neckline, that showed more than a bit of cleavage. Harry had also noticed it, and Susan was endowed well enough to make it very attractive, but he still liked Hermione's look better. Her dress exposed almost as much, the main difference being that her breasts were smaller.

The girls seemed to come with a certain plan in their heads. "Do you like our sleeping arrangements?" Hermione asked.

The boys seemed confused by the question. Hermione elaborated. "Don't you prefer to share room with your girlfriends?"

Neville's face reddened again. Harry smiled apprehensively. "I'm not sure that our families would approve of that."

"They don't need to know, first, and then, in a few days we'll be spending our time together with no clothes at all, and not necessarily in the company of the adults. We could certainly do anything at that time. It wouldn't matter if we're together already."

Neville blushed harder. Harry just smiled. "You're right, as usual, but wouldn't it be better if we don't anger them so soon? They'll be more relaxed when we reach the vacation resort."

Hermione wouldn't budge. "I've thought of that and discussed it with Susan. If we do it now, they will get accustomed to the idea by the time we reach there, making our vacation much better."

Harry nodded. "What's your suggestion, then?"

Hermione scanned the room. "I think Susan would like this room better, having two beds. You can join me in the other room, sharing a double bed."

Harry felt his face heat. "Are you sure about it?"

She smiled teasingly, yet her voice stayed serious. "As we're going to get married, I think it's just natural to get accustomed to sleeping together. It would be awful if we find we have a problem with that only after we're married. Don't you agree?"

Harry nodded, suddenly unable to talk. He noticed Susan going closer to Neville and taking his hand in hers, both blushing nicely. He then thought he was lucky not to have unpacked yet, making the move much easier.

"What will we tell our parents?" he asked.

Hermione shrugged. "My parents already know that we're a couple. Dad may frown a bit, but you know how much he likes you. Your parents know about our betrothal, so they're bound to understand and agree."

Harry nodded reluctantly. "I hope you're right."

They didn't have time to discuss it any further, as there was another knock on the door, and then James came in. "Take a light overcoat," he advised, "as we shall probably return quite late and it may turn a bit cold, especially with theses dresses."

Susan blushed a bit, noticing that James scanned her. She still noticed his nod of approval, as if he knew what went through her mind when choosing that dress and agreed with her. This only deepened her blush.

They soon boarded the tour bus that took them through Paris, stopping at several places with explanations and stories about the various attraction. They then boarded a restaurant boat on the Seine. It gave them a different perspective on the city, along with a tasty and generous dinner. James even allowed the teens to have a small glass of wine each, considering them mature enough for that. Dave just nodded his agreement.

By the time they finished the river tour, including the dinner, it was already chilly. The girls, especially, were thankful for having brought some warmer overcoats.

They boarded the tour bus again, now watching the various lighted attraction that brought Paris the title "City of lights". By the time they reached the hotel, everybody was tired. The adults wished the teens goodnight before going to their rooms. The teens, despite being just as tired, switched places first. Susan was still repacking some of her clothes when Harry came with his suitcase. She blushed a bit before hurriedly finishing packing and moving out.

"Take only your toothbrush out. We're going to sleep naked," Hermione told him.

"Are you sure it's a good idea? I mean..."

"Harry, we've already seen each other naked; we've already touched each other all over, although it was last summer. Why should it bother us now?"

"Well, I'm… you..." Harry wasn't sure how to say it without offending Hermione.

She smiled reassuringly at him. "Last summer I wasn't ready for more, and you certainly weren't. I think we're readier now, and I'm sure you won't force me. I'm not so sure I won't. Whatever happens once we sleep together, it's alright with me."

"But… what if..."

"I've already learned the contraceptive charm. I'll teach you when we have time. Right now, just brush your teeth and come to bed. I'm really tired."

Harry opened the suitcase and searched for his toiletry, taking his brush and toothpaste. He couldn't ignore Hermione, who quickly rid herself of her clothes and then cast a spell on herself, resulting in some bluish fog that seemed to get absorbed into her abdomen. She then walked into the bathroom to brush her teeth. Harry joined her a moment later, still clothed. He couldn't really concentrate. Hermione's breasts had grown a bit since the previous summer and were now moving when she brushed her teeth, giving him a very enticing view that he just couldn't ignore.

Hermione finished, being very aware of the effect her naked body was having on her betrothed. "I'm waiting in bed," she told him, leaving him alone in the bathroom.

Harry brushed his teeth and then undressed, taking his clothes back with him. He then moved to the bed, where Hermione was patting the place left for him. "Kiss me goodnight," she said.

Harry kissed her lips tenderly. She responded with a sweet kiss as well. They kept it short. Hermione turned around. "Hug me," she told Harry in a sleepy voice. He moved as close as he could and hugged her tightly, cupping a breast with his hand. Hermione sighed contentedly and fell asleep. It took Harry much longer to make his body calm down, but he fell asleep after a while, a wide smile adorning his face.

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	27. Interrogations

**A.N.** This chapter is a kind of interlude, preparing the groundwork for what comes next. Therefore, it has not much "on-screen" action, but mostly thoughts and plans.

 **27\. Interrogations**

James was staying acutely aware of all that was happening in the magical world, especially since Harry happened to be in the centre of all action more than once. As soon as he heard about the arrests of the Death Eaters, he asked Sirius and Remus to come and the three of them made some plans. James wrote an official letter to the Wizengamot, assigning Lord Black as his proxy until he could handle his obligations as Lord Potter by himself. Sirius filed the letter with the appropriate authorities, namely – the assistant that managed all the incoming information between sessions and wrote the condensed document that awaited each member before every Wizengamot session. Some kind words and an invitation for the next Ball hosted by Lord Black assured that this bit of information would be hidden deep inside the document, where nobody would bother to read it, despite such information meriting first or second page location.

The assistant also conveniently forgot to inform the current proxy – Albus Dumbledore – about the change, filing the letter instead of sending it. People could be sometimes distracted, you know. Sirius was looking forward to the next session.

\/\/\/

Dumbledore was deeply concerned. Too many outstanding citizens had been arrested for being Death Eaters. He couldn't understand why the public found it so important. True, he had his differences with most of them and they were his political rivals, but that rivalry should not turn into bloodshed. These people, at least most of them, were Imperiused during the last war and found not guilty. They had surely repented their deeds and tried to rebuild the magical community and make it stronger. Why, Lucius had even donated quite nicely for the modernization of St. Mungo's. Albus made it his job to assure that these people will not be judged harshly and would get a second chance to prove themselves.

\/\/\/

Amelia Bones was very busy. As head of the DMLE, she supervised and led the interrogation of all captured Death Eaters. She was glad that she had managed to have Fudge approve the use of Veritaserum during interrogation and trials, as there was no minister to approve anything since. She had taken upon herself some of the Minister's duties, as did the other heads of departments, but no big decisions or changes of policies could be made in the current situation.

Amelia also had another pressing matter. She had promised to join her niece on her vacation, and it was more than a mere promise. The way she'd noticed Susan ogling Neville, she was sure that her presence, if not her intervention, would be quite necessary. She delegated as many of her duties as she could to her subordinates and did all she could to leave at least a week free, so she could go to France. Actually, with all that had happened since the previous summer, she really felt like she needed a vacation, one much longer, if possible.

She felt lucky that she was not the one doing the interrogations. Even reading the summaries gave her the creeps. She knew these were evil people, but she could have not fathomed how deeply evil they were. She could no longer think of them as people. These… things didn't deserve any kind of mercy, a feeling they had never shown. The only mercy she felt was for her dedicated interrogators, who had probably lost their appetite and much sleep after hearing the confessions.

Among the arrested, Lucius Malfoy was the loudest. "I'll have the Minister sack you all, once this farce is over. I demand to be immediately released!"

"Once we finished our interrogation, if we find nothing suspect, you will be immediately released," the Auror replied politely. "Would you like to be the first?"

"Of course! You don't expect me to stay here with all the riffraff!"

"Fine. Just drink this so we can proceed." The Auror gave him a small vial that seemed to contain no more than a few drops of some clear liquid.

"What's that?" Lucius asked, as a feeling of dread was taking over him. For many years he kept his distance from Veritaserum, knowing that there was no chance he would be considered innocent, once he confessed his deeds.

"Oh, just a little something to help smooth the interrogation. Nothing to be worried about," the Auror reassured him. It only made Lucius more worried.

"I believe my solicitor should be present," he tried.

"It's your prerogative, sir, but you should know that our staff is currently overworked, so that if you want your solicitor present, we shall move you to the end of the queue and interrogate you among the last. It may take more than a month, considering the shortage of staff," the Auror answered politely.

Lucius couldn't afford to stay detained for such a long time like a common criminal. He downed the contents of the vial. "Alright, let's continue!" He felt confident that acting for more than a year under the life-debt to Potter would protect him from any new accusations.

The Auror smiled. Had Lucius been more attentive he would have recognized the predatory smile.

Two hours later, after the Dicta-Quill filled a large number of parchments, an ill-looking Auror escorted a very pale Lucius back to the holding cell. The truth potion made Lucius spill everything: all his misdeeds since he was a child, through Hogwarts, murders he had done for the Dark Lord and just for fun, bribes he paid to various Ministry workers and especially to the Minister, blackmailing, fraud and contraband – he could hold back nothing and had given every possible detail, so that each and every person involved could be positively identified. He knew he was doomed.

Before starting the interrogation of another suspect, the Auror gave the parchments to his superior, after highlighting all the names of bribe takers within the ministry. They would find shelter in the holding cells for quite a while, until their trials, as their cases weren't as high-profile as the Death Eaters'.

Within a few days, more than half the department heads and quite a few of lower positions were arrested. Madam Bones was appalled at the number of corrupt ministry employees, although she wasn't really surprised.

Just before leaving for her summer vacation, she made a public announcement. "Due to the large number of suspects we need to interrogate, especially considering the lack of manpower due to budget cuts that the former minister insisted on, it may take much longer than previously anticipated until we start putting them to trial. We expect the first trials to take place during September, and continue for a few more months after that, depending on our finds during interrogation and on how many more people will be found to be involved."

The press had a lot of question for her, but she answered none.

\/\/\/

Sirius, being a part-time Auror, couldn't really reveal any of the information from the interrogations. He was actually glad that the vows he had taken as part of his getting the job prevented him from telling anything of significance to Dumbledore, who tried really hard to find such information. He even refrained from giving out the few bits and pieces he could safely reveal, having learned his lesson from the old man – without enough information, one could hardly make any plans. Neither Sirius nor James wanted the old man to use his still substantial political powers to compromise the judicial process.

Dumbledore was really worried. None of his spies within the ministry could find any information. Even Shacklebolt, who was a senior Auror, couldn't tell him anything of value. "Can't you find what's going on?" he asked his loyal supporter.

"Sorry, Albus, but my vows prevent me from passing any concrete information. All I can say is that the crimes confessed to are horrendous and the corruption discovered within the ministry is very deep. Once this is over, we're sure to get a better ministry, at least. Of that I'm sure."

Albus wasn't happy about this. The old ministry, with all its faults, was something he knew well and could use to reach his goals. If the rules and the players were changed, he would become powerless. And yet, cleaning the corruption and making people act according to the rules was not something he could openly oppose. That was quite a dilemma.

\/\/\/

Peter was not looking forward to the future. No matter how he tried to look at it, nothing good could be expected for him. He was already a convicted felon, and then a prison fugitive. Adding his current involvement in resurrecting the Dark Lord, even Azkaban seemed like a wishful dream. If only they hadn't put those Animagus suppressing cuffs on him… He had no hope of escaping and the only question he wasn't sure about was if he would be given a Dementor Kiss or simply be thrown through the Veil. Either way, it would be his end, and he couldn't truthfully claim that he didn't deserve it. He had certainly had his chances. He could let the Marauders make him an honourable man; he could have stayed loyal to the Order and to his friends; he could have just left as soon as Voldemort was vanquished that fateful night and start a new life in some other country. Looking back, he saw a series of unfortunate, or even stupid decisions that led to his demise, and he could only blame himself.

\/\/\/

Draco Malfoy was not having fun. Ever since that blasted third task, his world seemed to be crumbling around him. For more than a year, since his encounter with the Dementors (and he didn't want to think of his own fault in that, nor of Potter's involvement), he had lost his position in Slytherin, he was becoming the laughing stock of his house (although Potter made sure to stop all physical abuse, and for that he felt grateful), and now his father was arrested. He didn't know the details, but from fragments of conversations he'd overheard throughout the years, it looked like his father's actions were no longer acceptable. He dreaded the trials and what would come out of them. He also wondered about his mother. As a faithful wife, she made sure to visit her husband every few days, but she didn't seem too concerned. In a way, she even seemed relieved. He just couldn't understand it.

Still, when his mother brought him tutors for estate management, he did his best to learn, trying not to think of her comment, "You may need this knowledge sooner than expected." She didn't think they would execute his father, did she?

\/\/\/

In France, Harry Potter, his family and his friends were really enjoying themselves. Paris was certainly a place of fun for them. They visited the famous Louvre museum, enjoying the paintings and the sculptures on display; they went to excellent restaurants; they even went to some shows with almost naked dancers. Neville blushed nicely when first seeing them. Harry just laughed, finding Hermione much nicer to look at.

They also wandered a bit out of Paris, visiting Versailles, where the teens were fascinated by the gardens, the fountains and the palaces. Harry wondered if they shouldn't visit some of the chateaux in the Loire valley, but then, the Potter castle was just about as beautiful and even more elegant.

And yet, they liked best the times before going to bed or when waking up. All four teens enjoyed seeing their partners nude, finding them extremely attractive. All four knew, even without talking about it, that the next step was coming closer each day and were looking forward to it, although not without some slight worries. Still, none would give up the hugs, with nothing separating them, or cuddling nude in bed.

Only James, staying in touch with Sirius, was aware of all that was happening in Britain. He wasn't really surprised by Dumbledore's actions and was glad to have anticipated them. He was even gladder that Harry was spared most of these and was having a fun summer vacation. He was sure to help the teens have as much fun as possible.

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	28. Seaside Resort

**28\. Seaside Resort**

Despite sleeping nude together, they did nothing else that the adults would have not approved of, while in Paris. Although both Harry and Hermione had already visited Paris a few times, James had planned a very busy schedule to let the other teens experience as much of Paris as possible in a few days. Each night, when going to bed, they felt exhausted, and they were in too much of a rush each morning to even think of anything else. Harry had a suspicion that this was intentional. They still enjoyed sharing bed with nothing separating them. Harry was also unsure about his readiness. As much as he liked the idea of having sex with Hermione, he didn't feel that he was ready to do it right and he didn't want to disappoint Hermione.

He still was glad that the adults said nothing about the room swap. He hoped they hadn't noticed it. Actually, the adults did notice, yet they were really expecting this, as the two teen couples seemed to get extremely close.

Harry wasn't sure about the other youngsters. Sharing room seemed to make them closer, but Neville was still blushing almost each time Susan touched him. It probably meant that they hadn't yet exposed themselves to each other, nor gone any further. He felt quite sure this would change, once they reached the nudist resort.

After an intensive week in Paris, James hired a minibus, large enough for both families and their guests. He shared the driving duty with Liz, Dave and Jean. They visited a few castles and palaces, spending another night in a hotel, before they reached the resort, late the second day.

The first obstacle for the young purebloods was at the reception. Although it looked like any reception hall in a modern hotel, the reception clerks were totally naked. Luckily, none of the teens needed to speak at the reception, as Dave and James handled all the details. It became more difficult later.

While still on the way from the reception to their lodging, they could see some of the other vacationers, all wearing hats and sandals, at most. Susan watched attentively, still blushing a bit. Neville seemed torn between gawking at the naked people or covering his eyes to hide the view. His curiosity won, though. He tried his best not to gawk, but took a good look at every naked woman around. He couldn't control his blushing, though, and his face turned as red as Susan's hair.

The resort was made up of multiple bungalows, each big enough for a family of four. The Potter family needed a whole bungalow, and still left Harry out; the Granger family could share a single bungalow, yet the parents wanted their privacy and wanted to give Hermione some privacy as well. Like they had done with the teens at the hotel, they assigned the boys one bungalow and the girls another, knowing quite well what would happen.

Indeed, Susan joined Neville. Harry and Hermione shared a bungalow as well. "Dinner will be served in more than an hour. You may relax in your rooms or join us at the pool," James said. "We only need to undress and take a towel each before that. No need for any sun lotion now, as the sun is low enough to keep us safe."

A few minutes later, Harry and Hermione were waiting near the paved footpath. Susan and Neville joined them a moment later. Susan was still red-faced, but looked determined. She held her towel lightly, hiding nothing, just the way Harry and Hermione were doing. Neville was much redder. He held his towel in front of him, trying to hide his erection. Seeing Hermione naked seemed to make him even redder. He still managed to say, "You really look marvellous."

Harry repeated the compliment for Susan. He really thought that too. Susan was quite shapely and not too slim. Her breasts, while quite bigger than Hermione's and not as firm, were still very nice to look at, with their creamy skin and rosy nipples, and her legs were crowned by a fiery triangle of trimmed pubic hair. Hermione's proportions were different, but just as pleasing. Her skin was still almost as white as Susan's, although Harry knew it would turn much darker after exposure to the sun, and her nipples were light brown. She had also removed her pubic hair completely, making that area look like a small girl's.

Susan seemed to have a problem with where to look. Her eyes seemed to be attracted to either Neville's crotch or Harry's, as she had never seen a naked boy before.

Neville seemed to get even redder when he saw the women. Both Liz and Jean were just as shapely and both trimmed their pubic hair nicely before going on vacation. James noticed Neville's difficulties and went to his side. "Don't worry about your reaction. It's quite natural at your age, especially since it's also the first time you come here. Soon enough you'll be able to control your reaction, although I admit it's more difficult with these women, who are all more attractive than most. It will be easier once we join with others, you'll see."

Neville didn't seem so sure, yet Harry knew. Many of the people at the resort were older couples, looking far worse than the women in this group. Harry also looked at his young siblings. Colette looked very pretty for an eight year girl. Charles, at five years of age, was a nice boy, looking quite similar to Harry at that age. None of them minded the nudity.

Susan was also having difficult time when the adults joined them, noticing both James and Dave nude. Hermione took pity on her. "Don't worry about the men. Most don't really mind if a woman looks at them, and after seeing a few more, you'll find your interest focusing on the one you like and you won't mind the others." Susan nodded understandingly, although her face stayed quite red.

Harry refrained from smiling when they arrived at the pool. The youngest woman among those already there was probably older than fifty and none looked even remotely attractive to the teens. He could see the tension disappearing from Neville's face until he was finally able to put the towel aside and not worry about an inappropriate erection. Just like Harry, whenever a young woman in their group made his body react, he only needed to look at some of the other women to regain control.

The teens swam a bit and then just stood in the water and chatted. Harry watched the others. Hermione seemed as comfortable as always, not minding her nudity at all, just as he had expected. Susan seemed a bit conscious of her nudity, yet proud of her body and quite content with the way Neville was reacting to it. Neville had the hardest time. He was still too conscious of being naked, feeling as if everybody present was looking at him. He was also very aware of the two naked girls in his company, and was fighting to gain control of his body whenever his eyes lingered a bit on one or the other.

Once tired of the water, the girls spread themselves on the tanning beds to get some tan. Neville took Harry aside. "How can you stay so calm with Hermione naked at your side? You're certainly attracted to her, aren't you?"

Harry smiled. "Sure, I find Hermione to be the most attractive young woman, yet we've been together since we were both not much older than Charles, so being nude together is no novelty for us. I'm sure you'll feel the same in a day or two, when you get accustomed to seeing naked Susan and Hermione around."

Neville blushed. "I got excited even by your mothers. That's not right!"

Harry reassured him. "You're a teenage boy. It's natural to get excited whenever you see an attractive woman, and both are quite attractive and still young enough. Besides, I also think they see it as a kind of compliment, as long as you don't try to do anything."

Neville seemed to be convinced. He still glanced furtively at Liz and Jean, and then moved to sit at Susan's side, taking her hand in his. Susan just smiled.

Dinner presented its own set of problems. After the long travel, the adults opted for dinner at the resort, which naturally meant nude dining. While walking back from the pool to their rooms, Hermione could easily persuade Susan that wearing only her perfume was really nice. Harry had harder time with Neville. "Dinner is a formal meal. One should wear formal clothes at dinner," Neville insisted.

"Nobody wears anything at dinner, or at any other time here. You may take a shower, maybe even shave and make sure to smell nicely, but all you may wear is your sandals, and you don't even need them as the path is nicely paved," Harry explained.

"How can I even concentrate on my food with all the naked people around?"

"Do they really matter? Most will be quite old, like those we met at the pool. I actually hope we find a few people our age, to have some more company."

"And make me ogle the new girls," Neville said mournfully.

"I don't think so. You're a strong person, Neville. You acted very well at the pool and I trust you to act just as well at dinner. Besides, with Susan at your side, I doubt anybody else has a chance."

Neville blushed and said nothing.

It turned out just fine for all. Harry found a few teens at dinner, some of whom he already knew, and Hermione was glad to handle the introductions. As seating was free, all the teens sat together during dinner, and then moved on to the local club, where they could dance. Harry was a bit apprehensive, as the others clearly expected each to dance with other partners as well. He didn't mind dancing with a girl he barely knew, trusting his body to behave. He wasn't sure that other boys, dancing with Hermione, would not offend her.

He didn't need to worry. Although all boys sported partial erections after the slow dances, they all acted very politely with the girls, making them feel appreciated for who they were and not viewed as merely sex objects. Harry was glad that Neville seemed to fit well with the group. When they trudged back to their rooms, they were too tired for anything but sleep.

They had their first exposure to the Mediterranean sun the next morning. Before leaving their rooms, Hermione made sure to cast a sun-blocker spell on the other teens. "You still need to use the Muggle sun lotions, as this may not suffice. It may also look suspicious if you don't use a lotion, as we're all quite pale and can easily burn in the sun. Make sure not to skip any part of your body, or you may later suffer," she told them.

Her intentions became clearer as they reached the beach, where many of the tanning beds were already occupied, their occupants shining with lotions.

"Harry, help me with my back and I'll return the favour. Neville, make sure to protect Susan's back just the same," Hermione told them as they settled on the beach.

Harry was accustomed to this. He spread the sun protection on Hermione's back, her buttocks and the back of her legs, as well as the back side of her thighs. He could see that Neville was trying to do the same, yet was having problems with his body reacting inappropriately. He still let Neville tackle that problem on his own, knowing that no help could be given.

Soon enough, Hermione was spreading the lotion on his back, occasionally rubbing a tit as well. Harry smiled, knowing already how much Hermione liked the physical side of their relations, despite not taking the final step. Once again, Neville had harder time, as Susan rubbed her body on his even more, and he seemed on the verge of losing control. Still, a few minutes later, when the four teens went into the water, Neville was back in control of his body, even when two of the girls they had met the previous evening joined the group.

Jean didn't let them forget themselves too much. About an hour later, she urged them to leave the beach and find a shady place for the rest of the morning. The pool seemed to be right, as it had a cloth shade protecting most of the area, allowing newcomers to enjoy swimming without the sun's hazards.

"It's really nice, spending the vacation this way," Susan admitted. "I've never thought of nudity as something relaxing, but now I find that I like it. Don't you, Neville?"

He was still unable to control his blushing. "I like it very much, although I don't find it as relaxing as you do."

A gleam of mischief appeared in Susan's eyes. "Maybe I can help you feel more relaxed. We'll check it when we're back in our room."

This didn't help Neville's complexion. He still answered, "Sure."

They spent another hour on the beach late in the afternoon, when the sun was not as scorching. Once again, Hermione made sure they were all well protected.

After showering, they all got clothed, as Dave wanted them to dine at a restaurant. They wore only loose garments, though, and none of the women bothered with a bra, making Neville blush again. This time, it only lasted a few seconds.

They retired early. Susan and Hermione still exchanged some whispered conversation before parting.

Susan seemed to walk a bit stiffly the next morning, yet Neville seemed to become much closer with her, caring for her almost like she was a small child. "Why does he act that way?" Harry asked Hermione.

"Whatever the reason, don't ask any of them about it. Besides, I find it nice that he cares so much for her."

"I care for you even more," Harry said.

"Of course, dear, but that's new for them, as you've already noticed."

Harry didn't dwell on that. By mid-day, Susan's walking returned to normal. She seemed happier than before, and Harry thought this vacation was good for her.

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	29. Beach Encounter

**29\. Beach Encounter**

Madam Bones joined them the next day. As previously agreed, James had a bungalow reserved for her near them. Harry was quite surprised seeing her when she arrived, clothed in a loose dress and wearing sunglasses. She seemed very different than the strict head of the DMLE. It became even more evident when she joined them at the pool, wearing only sun lotion. He found her to be almost as nice to look at as Liz and Jean, who were probably much younger.

"Your aunt is quite nice," he told Susan.

"Are you referring to her personality or her body?" she teased him.

"Both, I think. She's been raising you with love since the war, so she must be a nice person, and I can certainly admire her looks."

Susan smiled fondly. "Yes, Aunty is really a nice person. I only hope she proves it even when she calls Neville for a chat."

"Why should she?" Harry wondered.

"She knew what I had in mind when I asked to join you along with Neville. I'm sure she'll ask me about it as soon as she finds the opportunity."

"What was that? I don't understand." Evidently, Harry had no clue.

Susan blushed, and then shrugged it off. "I wanted to become Neville's in every possible way, and I did."

Harry blushed at the implications and didn't ask any more. He only wondered if he should initiate deepening his relations with Hermione, or wait for her to take the initiative. They were already sleeping naked together each night, cuddling and caressing, yet not taking the last step. He was still unsure about doing that.

They dined at the resort. Although the food was marginally less tasty, nobody seemed inclined to wear clothes and drive to a restaurant. The teens joined some others for the meal, enjoying the company of people they would not normally meet. Harry noticed that Neville was much more relaxed now, not minding even when a girl touched him or a tit brushed on his skin. Actually, Neville seemed to attract the attention of some of the girls, if only due to him being much better endowed than most of the boys, yet he seemed oblivious to them, only paying attention to Susan. Harry chuckled at that, not noticing that his good looks were attracting some girls as well. He only cared about Hermione, who seemed to enjoy herself, talking with youngsters from different countries.

Like every night, Hermione cast the contraceptive charm on herself before going to bed, yet this time she didn't just cuddle with Harry. Once he came to bed, she started caressing him and kissing him, making her intentions very clear. Despite being unsure about his ability, Harry found it impossible not to cooperate. Their first time was a bit painful and quick, yet it held a certain promise, and both seemed eager to make that promise come true. After three more orgasms, each better than the previous one, they finally fell asleep.

Hermione found her muscles a bit sore in the morning. Not wanting to attract the attention Susan had been unable to evade, she cast a few numbing spells on herself. They showered together, making it into another session of love, yet by the time they left their room, nobody could suspect anything, judging by the way they behaved.

A few days later, Susan asked Hermione, "How come you're sleeping together, and still nothing happens? I was sure you'd shag the first night you shared bed, not go slow like Neville and I, who needed to first become comfortable with each other."

"Why do you think nothing happens?"

"Well, you've told me you were still a virgin before we went on this vacation. I was barely able to walk after my first time with Neville, while you..."

"Didn't you think of using numbing charms? There's no problem with us casting spells while in France, as I've already told you."

Susan blushed. "I forgot. I probably gave you quite a show then."

Hermione smiled. "You did, although nobody commented on that. I didn't want to advertise our deed, so I used those charms. You did cast the contraceptive charm, I hope."

Susan blushed some more. "I wasn't sure if it was allowed, so I took the potion instead."

"As long as you keep taking it, you should be protected." She then glanced at Susan some more. Unlike Hermione, Susan didn't tan well. Instead, most of her skin turned various shades of red. "I don't think you should stay in the sun much. It's not good for your complexion. Doesn't your aunt know how to prevent this redness?"

Susan shook her head. "Auntie tans quite well, almost like you, despite being a redhead. I don't think she knows such a spell, but I'll ask her."

Although it seemed as if nothing had changed in the relationship between Harry and Hermione, both teens felt a profound change. They felt as if they were now a real couple, although none could pinpoint the difference. It wasn't the way they behaved with each other, as they had been extremely close even before, despite trying to deny it, at times. It was more the way they felt, as if they had passed a major obstacle on their way and were now more comfortable with each other, feeling much closer, and not only physically.

Both Jean and Liz noticed the subtle change and welcomed it, although each had different reasons. Jean thought that Hermione had shown great restraint not doing it almost a year earlier. Remembering her own experience, she was glad that her daughter didn't have to suffer the awkwardness of getting undressed in front of a boy for the first time, the fear of rejection and the heartbreak when that rejection came true. Although she didn't know of the magical betrothal, she felt that the relationship between Harry and Hermione was meaningful enough for neither to look out of it. Liz was just happy to see her son maturing and getting adult responsibilities without losing his teen fun. She was looking forward to the time Hermione would officially become her daughter-in-law.

\/\/\/

While the local beach at the resort was nice, the families wanted to visit some other beaches, with less pebbles and more sand, as well as more people. A well known nudist beach was located about an hour's drive from the resort, and it was natural for them to try it. The boys helped the men erect their beach-tent while the girls and the women took a plunge in the water. Once the tent was set, Harry looked around to find Hermione.

"Monsieur Potter?" he heard a voice nearby.

Turning around, he saw a young, very shapely woman, whose blue eyes were looking questioningly at him. "I'm Harry Potter," he admitted. "Do I know you?"

She smiled, as if relieved to have correctly identified him. "Not really. I'm Fleur Delacour, the Beauxbatons champion, before it all turned into a fiasco."

"Nice to meet you," he said politely, trying not to stare too openly. Although he still liked Hermione best, this young woman was almost as enticing. "I'm here with family and friends," he added.

"Naturalment! I'm with my family as well. Actually, ma petite soeur wants to meet you. Can you come?"

Harry was more eager to find Hermione. "I first need to find my friends, but if you show me where your family is, I'll come around later."

"Ooh, that's easy," Fleur said, turning around and moving at his side, a bit too close, as Harry thought. She pointed at a large sky-blue tent, a bit farther along. "The blue tent is where we are. Do come. My sister would be enchanted!"

He felt like she did something else to entice him, although he couldn't think what, as she barely moved. "I'll visit you shortly," he promised.

Fleur kissed his cheek happily and moved away. He could still not see Hermione among the many naked bodies on the beach, but he saw James and Dave near the tent, both seemed to be recuperating from a dream. "What happened to you?" he asked.

James looked at him with some apprehension. "Who is that young woman?"

"She's Fleur Delacour, who was supposed to be the French champion. She wants me to meet her young sister."

James seemed doubtful. "Is that really all she wants? She blasted the whole area with her allure."

Harry shrugged. "I didn't feel it. Where are the others?"

James pointed at the shore, and Harry was glad to see Hermione approaching. He welcomed her with a tight hug.

"Who was that blonde who kissed your cheek?" Hermione asked with evident concern.

"Fleur Delacour, the French champion. You remember her, don't you? She said her little sister would like to meet me, but I wanted to find you first."

"She also blasted him with her allure, yet he wasn't affected at all," James said. He thought a bit and then added, "Maybe it's time to renew some of our connections. The Delacour had been our allies on the continent for many generations. Mind if I come along with you?"

Harry was hugging Hermione sideways, by then. He shrugged. "Whatever you want. She's quite nice to look at, that's sure."

Hermione looked at him with some concern, yet his hug stayed just as tight. She hugged him back and relaxed a bit.

They reached the blue tent a few minutes later. Harry noticed two women, a man and a smaller girl relaxing under its shade. The younger woman saw him and stood up, not before letting him get a brief flash of her genitals. "Oh, thank you for coming. I'd like to introduce my family first. These are Alain and Appolline Delacour, my parents, and my little sister, Gabrielle, also called Gabi."

Harry smiled at the two adults and the girl. "These are my best friend and much more, Miss Hermione Granger, and my father, Lord James Potter. I'm Harry."

Harry chuckled internally, as the introductions were spoken very formally, yet the lack of clothes made them lose most of that formality. Indeed, Alain motioned James to join him on the sand while Gabi, encouraged by both her sister and her mother came forward and shook hands with Harry, blushing furiously.

"She's just turned nine and she loves all those books about The Boy Who Lived, although she's smart enough to know they are rubbish," Fleur explained, as they all got comfortable on the sand. Harry noticed her exposed crotch, but it was natural when sitting this way.

"Indeed they are. I wasn't much aware of these books, or I would have asked my parents to stop them."

Fleur turned serious. "Are they really your parents? Biologically, I mean."

"My birth mother was killed when I was a year old. Dad managed to escape, but he kept it secret, as he suspects some to not be as trustworthy as people believe. You shouldn't talk about that either."

"I won't." Fleur lifted her hand in a gesture of swearing.

Gabi seemed to loosen as they talked. She came closer and sat at his side, on the opposite side of Hermione, trying to hug him just the same. Harry was startled as her small hand touched his back. "Why are you hugging me?" he asked.

"I want you to marry me when I'm old enough," the girl said boldly.

Harry shook his head. "Sorry, dear, but I'm already betrothed. You'll have to find somebody else."

Gabi pouted, but didn't take her hand back.

"You two are really very close," Fleur noted. "I can see your halos merge. You're probably soul mates."

"You can see halos?" Hermione asked, just the same time as Harry asked, "What are soul mates?"

Fleur smiled. "As you probably know, I'm a Veela, and all Veela can see halos. Even Gabi can, if she concentrates a bit. Both your halos are wide and bright, and once you're close together, they merge into one brighter halo, surrounding you both. That normally means that your souls are complementing each other, seeking to become one."

She then smiled sadly. "Your halo attracted me even before I recognized you, and yet you didn't even respond to my allure at its fullest setting, although you seemed to admire my body. That means you're deeply in love."

"He wasn't affected even last summer, during the Quidditch world cup," Hermione said proudly.

Fleur turned to Gabi. "You see? That's why I told you that you had no chance at all."

Gabi sighed and let go of Harry. "Can we still be friends?" she asked, unsure of herself.

"I'd like you to be our friend," Harry answered, making it clearer that he and Hermione were together.

"Friends!" Gabi agreed. She then giggled and ran away, to join a group of younger children.

"She's quite an adorable child," Harry commented.

"Yes, she is, but one needs the patience of an angel to deal with her, at times," Fleur said, love and frustration mixed in her voice. She then chuckled. "Well, my parents say I was no better at that age..."

They soon returned to their place, to spend the time with Neville and Susan. James returned a bit later, telling them that they were all invited for dinner with the Delacour.

They spent the rest of the vacation about the same, each couple enjoying togetherness, and all of them enjoying the beach, the pool and the occasional visits with the Delacour. Susan was very glad to find that Neville was also unaffected by the allure, despite blushing quite hard at the sight of the two naked adult Veela.

Even Madam Bones managed to find some company to her liking, hosting a few men in her bed and finally feeling alive again. She seemed the most reluctant to go back when the time came.

Too soon, they all had to repack, get clothed and return to the cloudy and rainy English weather, yet both teen couples felt secure, looking forward to a long life together.

* * *

 _ **Please Review!**_


	30. Justice

**30\. Justice**

While Amelia Bones was spending some quality time on the Mediterranean beaches, her Aurors were busy, preparing everything for the trials of all captured Death Eaters. Everything was ready by the end of summer, and the trials were scheduled to start during the first week of September. With Veritaserum officially approved and used during the initial interrogation, there was no doubt about the results. Each and every one of the accused had confessed of several cold-blooded murders of both Muggles and magical people. That alone could be reason enough for a sentence of death to them all.

There wasn't much information leaking from the investigations, but even the official briefings, despite being short and giving very little information, were enough to set the mood. The public would accept nothing short of the severest punishments for the Death Eaters and their devout supporters.

Yet not everybody seemed to be of that opinion. Albus Dumbledore was doing his best to persuade members of the Wizengamot to give the accused a chance to redeem themselves. "Every person deserves a second chance," he preached to whoever would listen. Very few would, though.

Lord Black, on the other hand, used his influence to make sure that none of the Death Eaters would escape justice. Sirius was fuming at the way Dumbledore was acting. "They didn't give second chances to their innocent victims. Why should they get a second, or most probably third or fourth chance?"

It became extremely evident during the first trial, when Lucius Malfoy, along with other inner-circle Death Eaters, was found guilty of multiple murders, use of unforgivable curses, thieving and bribery. The prosecution asked for a death sentence. Dumbledore, in his role as Chief Warlock, tried his regular trick of making people feel ashamed unless they did as he wanted. "I must remind you all that these people, while their deeds are horrendous, are still people who made a mistake and are surely repenting t..."

Sirius had enough of this. He cut in. "With all due respect, none of them had ever repented their deeds, not even when specifically asked about it under Veritaserum. They had more chances to redeem themselves than they ever gave their victims and it's way overdue to rid our society of such filth, to show whoever contemplates repeating their actions that we cannot and will not tolerate such actions. I suggest we stick with the death sentence and have it executed immediately."

Dumbledore looked at Sirius with evident disappointment, his other trick to make people reconsider and accept his opinion, but Sirius paid it no attention. Dumbledore had another unpleasant surprise when he tried to vote as the Potter proxy, only for his vote to be rejected. "You are no longer Potter's proxy. Lord Black is," the Wizengamot clerk told him. Eventually, the death sentence was unanimously accepted as the least sentence such crimes deserved. Only Dumbledore abstained, gaining himself some loud "Boo"s from the audience.

With all the sentences executed immediately after the conclusion of the trials, the message sent to the public was loud and clear: such crimes would no longer be tolerated, regardless of the criminal's blood status, nobility or wealth. It was also made absolutely clear that nobody was above the law.

With Veritaserum used extensively, many of the unmarked supporters were also found out and put on trial. Some escaped with prison sentences only, while others joined the marked ones, passing through the veil. It came as no surprise that two of the Aurors and quite a few ministry employees were among them.

Back at Hogwarts, Harry was not aware of most of these events. He was happily spending his time with Hermione, occasionally joined by Neville and Susan. He could not refrain from noticing that most of the upper-classes Slytherin, and quite a few from other houses, seemed tense or were seen crying as the trials took place. He saw the headlines and knew what to expect – Madam Bones had not kept her opinions secret and they all knew she would make sure to rid magical Britain of the Death Eaters and their supporters.

"I feel sorry for them," he told Hermione.

"Whom are you referring to?"

"Malfoy, Nott, Bulstrode… Some others as well. They lost their fathers. No matter how awful these people were, they were parents for their children, and these children now suffer the loss."

Hermione sighed. "True, they suffer, but it was their parents' choice to join the Dark Lord and do his bidding. None of them repented; none showed any remorse; they even raised their children to become as bigoted as them. I can find no mercy for the parents, although I agree that we should try to minimize the suffering of their children, if possible."

"I'm not sure it can be done," Harry said with evident sincerity. "They imprinted their children with such views that make them unable to fully understand how wrongly their parents had acted. They'll need a long period of education to try and overcome this, and the results are uncertain, at best."

Hermione shrugged. "Well, it's not our doing and not our responsibility, although we may try to help whoever seems to want our help. Right now, there doesn't seem to be any."

\/\/\/

Dumbledore's behaviour at the trials seemed to stir the public, but certainly not in the way he would have liked. "Why did he insist on giving another chance to proven criminals?" people asked. This brought some additional attention to the way he had been running Hogwarts, exposing his support of Snape (who hadn't escaped the death sentence despite his actions as a spy, after his previous crimes were brought to light) and the way that man bullied the children, depriving the magical community of people who knew potions, just because he loathed teaching. Dumbledore's "give another chance" philosophy was also exposed as one of the reasons that Tom Riddle had been able to graduate Hogwarts and become the feared Lord Voldemort. Had Dumbledore put him in his place on time, many lives would have been spared.

It was the article by Rita Skeeter, titled " _ **Is Dumbledore Really Light?**_ " that started the landslide. Public opinion changed, seeing Dumbledore as the cause for many ailments of the magical society. He was forced to resign his positions as Chief Warlock and Supreme Mugwump and concentrate on Hogwarts, trying to salvage his image and introduce some overdue reforms at school.

By the end of November, Binns was sacked and replaced by a young and energetic teacher who made History sound like an interesting adventure. Professor Slughorn had already been called from retirement as soon as Snape was arrested, showing the students that Potions was something they could really like. Divination and Muggle studies were next to change.

Harry liked the changes. "I can finally see why my mother liked Potions," he told Hermione. "With Professor Slughorn, even Neville proves able to brew quite well."

"His knowledge in Herbology seems to be very useful for potions," Hermione agreed.

\/\/\/

After the trials were over, James decided it was time to come out of hiding. He re-opened Potter Manor with an elegant New Year Ball, inviting all the influential people in magical Britain, although he continued to live in the modest house in Kent. Dumbledore was invited to the Ball, of course. It wouldn't do to ignore such a powerful wizard, even after he lost most of his influence and was quite disgraced.

"I thought you were dead, killed by Voldemort that Halloween," the old man said when arriving at the Ball.

"It was a doppelgänger, yet it eventually gave me an excuse to leave Britain and raise Harry in peace, until he reached Hogwarts. You didn't do much to protect him there."

"I tried my best, you should know," Dumbledore insisted.

"Did you? You kept your pet Death Eater, despite him being a bully and teaching nothing; you hired a teacher hosting Voldemort; you let the ministry post Dementors at school. Should I mention the fiasco of the Triwizard Tournament? And now, you tried to pledge for mercy towards people who do not deserve it. You never did your best. You're too blinded by some false ideals to see the truth."

Dumbledore was unable to refute these accusations.

It was not a great surprise that Dumbledore was sacked just as the new term started. Although some suggested giving the headmaster position to Professor McGonagall, she was considered too close to Dumbledore to be fully trusted with the job. An American teacher was chosen, one who had successfully managed a school and was looking for a job in Britain.

The way Dumbledore had acted during the trials also made many of his followers re-evaluate their position. Most decided that one who had pleaded mercy for confirmed murderers could no longer be trusted to lead the light faction.

\/\/\/

With no official position, Albus Dumbledore went back to his childhood house at Godric Hollow, a place he hadn't visited since his sister's funeral. He would have preferred to live somewhere else, but as he had never married, he had also never bothered to make his own home. Hogwarts had been his home for about a century. Now he had to return to this house, if only temporarily. Despite his long tenure at Hogwarts and despite his other positions, he had never accumulated any fortunes. Sure, he put aside a bit of nest money, just in case, but he spent most of his income on books, on summer excursions, and on his extravagant robes.

Yet the old house, even after some of the Hogwarts house-elves, that the new headmaster was kind enough to lend him, cleaned and renovated it, was still full of memories. It made him think. It made him take another look at many of his decisions and actions. After a while, he found that he didn't like what he saw. Despite his conscious dedication to the light, some of his deeds seemed quite dark, when judged in retrospect. Was it really wise to give second chances to people who showed no remorse? Couldn't he prevent Voldemort from rising, had he acted swiftly to crush any budding tendencies to bullying and to dark arts? Nothing could be guaranteed, but looking back, Albus didn't feel like he did the right thing then, nor since.

His mind wandered to Voldemort's attempt to return. How could he do that? After reading the testimonies of the Aurors and interrogating Peter about the ritual that had been planned, Albus was starting to get a certain idea. Some more research was needed, though.

He used the Floo to contact Sirius. "Lord Black, may I gain access to your library? I have a certain suspicion that I'd like to see if I can prove or disprove. If proven, it may have profound significance for magical Britain, and especially for your godson."

Sirius was very suspicious of the old man, but he still appreciated Dumbledore's vast knowledge and his dedication to fighting the dark, despite some of his more questionable actions. "I suspect most of the books of interest are protected by Black family magic, so you'll have to do it with me present. Can you tell me what you're looking for?"

Albus sighed. "I'm not yet sure, but it's evident that Voldemort didn't completely die during that fateful Halloween, and I'm not sure he's completely dead now. The ritual that was planned for his resurrection has given me some clues, that I'd like to check. As it's all very dark magic..."

"You need to say no more," Sirius cut in. "You're welcome to study, but I expect full disclosure of the details."

"Of course, Lord Black. I feel like I should have shared more of my knowledge of certain events. It may have proven much wiser than the secrecy I've kept."

It took quite a few visits and many hours of browsing through ancient tomes of the darkest magic before the pieces of the puzzle started seeming to settle in place. "I suspect that Riddle used Horcruxes to keep himself immortal. It looks like his snake was one, destroyed at the graveyard along with him. I believe that Harry's scar was also one, yet it had been dealt with during his childhood. I wish I knew how it was done. Yet putting a Horcrux in live vessels is not the recommended way to act, as the Horcrux would be destroyed once its vessel dies. I believe that Riddle used some artefacts to store more Horcruxes."

Sirius felt nauseous at the idea. Having grown in the Black family, he knew what that blasted name meant and how such a thing was created, even if he didn't know the exact procedure. "How many did he create?"

Dumbledore sighed. "Having studied Riddle, I believe he chose a magically powerful number. Three is quite powerful, but Riddle was too paranoid to be content with only three. The next power number is seven, and then thirteen. Since a Horcrux stores a part of the creator's soul in it, I don't believe he could use thirteen, as dividing one's soul so much would render it too unstable. He probably used seven. That means six Horcruxes. The snake and the one in Harry are already gone. That leaves us with four unless Harry was unplanned."

\/\/\/

When Sirius told James about the new information, James turned thoughtful. He remembered that small book that stank of dark magic. Could that be another Horcrux? There was a loud shriek heard and some dark smoke escaped from the book when destroyed by fiend-fire. "I believe another one was destroyed before Harry's second year. He discovered one that somehow found its way into Weasley's book shopping and Liz helped, bringing it to me. When destroyed by fire, it sounded almost like someone was killed."

Albus wasn't sure about it. He asked for some more information until he was convinced that it had really been another Horcrux he could finally discount. That left only three.

"I suspect he would have chosen some significant relics. Tom was obsessed with the founders, so it might be some relics of them."

Sirius frowned. "What kind of relics do you have in mind?"

Albus sighed. "Let's see… The only thing left by Gryffindor is his sword, as far as I know, and it's still at Hogwarts. Rowena had a diadem that had been lost long ago. He may have found it, though… Slytherin had several cutlery pieces, but I doubt he would use such mundane stuff. There was also a locket I once saw for sale. I'm not sure what happened to it."

He didn't notice Sirius becoming thoughtful at hearing this. "Then there's Helga's cup – a large ceremonial cup made of gold. I wonder what happened to it..."

"Could you recognize Slytherin's locket if you saw it?" Sirius asked.

"Probably. Do you have any idea where it could be?"

"Let me check." Sirius quickly moved to another room, returning with several gold lockets. "Is that one of these?" he asked.

Dumbledore frowned. All of them had very dark auras that he could almost touch, and yet… one of them felt darker than all others. Looking closer he noticed a snake on it, forming the letter S. A quick diagnostic spell raised his confidence. "Yes, this might be one of them."

"How can we destroy it?" Sirius asked.

"The safest way is to destroy the container. Fiendfire should be able to do it, or dragon fire. One can also use AK to destroy only the soul fragment and keep the container, but that may also leave some curses and other protections that can harm the innocents."

"I can find a place in the dungeons where we could safely use fire to destroy it. We may destroy the other lockets too, as they're all very dark."

Half an hour later, Slytherin's locket, along with the other dark pendants, was turned into some molten gold. The shriek that sounded in the process seemed to confirm that this had been a Horcrux.

"If my brother had access to one of these, maybe Bella kept one too. As Lord Black, I can take control of her vault and take whatever is in there. You may be able to find one there."

"Indeed, Lord Black, that would be very nice of you," Albus agreed.

It took a few days for Gringotts bureaucracy to process the request, but then it was quite quick. Dumbledore identified the Hufflepuff cup, Sirius took it to Grimmauld place and it was destroyed in the same way as the locket. "That leaves us with only one," Dumbledore sighed.

"That leaves us with only Ravenclaw's diadem," Sirius noted. "How does it look? We can't find something if we don't even know what to look for."

Dumbledore gave it some thought. "It's probably the one seen on Rowena's statue in her house's common room. Have you seen it?"

Sirius chuckled. "I've dated a few nice Ravenclaws at my time, you know. I believe I've also seen a picture of it in some book."

It took him half an hour to search for it, but he eventually found the picture in an old edition of "Hogwarts, A History," along with a detailed description of it.

"I only wish I knew where to find it," Dumbledore sighed. "I thought it was hidden somewhere in Hogwarts, but after years of futile search, I no longer think so."

Sirius moved his hand through his hair, thinking. "I believe James once found a room full of lost things when he wanted to hide something. None of us managed to find it again afterwards. Do you know of such a room?"

Albus looked pensive for a few moments, letting his fingers comb his long beard. He finally spoke. "The house-elves sometimes mention the come-and-go room. I've never paid it any attention, knowing how they mangle the language, but maybe we could ask them."

With the cooperation of the new headmaster and the school's house-elves, it took only a few days to find and eventually destroy the diadem.

Dumbledore was still not content. He had a feeling that the one in Harry had just been created accidentally. Thinking some more, he decided to check the Gaunt and Riddle homes, or their remains, to be exact. A month later, after some Muggles complained of some stench near an abandoned house, his decomposing body was found at Gaunt shack. He was still wearing a ring with a cracked stone on his withered finger. Luckily, that area was searched by Aurors, as the Muggle police couldn't reach it. They suspected the ring to be cursed. Lord Sirius Black, in his role as part-time Auror, suggested to handle the ring. He wasn't surprised to hear the agonized cry when the ring was destroyed, like the other Horcruxes.

Somewhere in the forests, a possessed rabbit passed away as soon as the ring was destroyed. It was hidden in a hollow tree-trunk and would rot there for months until the ants and the termites would finish off the carcass.

\/\/\/

Harry and Hermione married as soon as they finished Hogwarts, three weeks before Harry's Eighteenth birthday. After enjoying their prolonged honeymoon, they started college. They had four children, whom they raised with love to become good, smart and courageous people.

Hermione became a medical doctor, specializing in paediatrics. She then apprenticed at St. Mungo's, eventually becoming a very good healer. She opened a private clinic near her parents' dental clinic, where she treated both muggle and magical children combining methods from both worlds for best results, soon becoming w world renown authority in medicine and in healing.

Harry put his effort into learning how to manage businesses and how to influence people. He made the Potter estate the largest in Britain, before taking the Potter seat in the Wizengamot, eventually becoming the Minister of Magic for a decade, before being replaced by his wife, and much later, by his oldest daughter.

* * *

 **A.N.** I'm not sure that this last chapter is up to the quality of the rest, but that's the best I could do at this time.

I hope you enjoyed reading this story, and as always,

 _ **Please Review!**_


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